


Deckerstar: Christmas Through the Years

by moonlight_1201



Series: Deckerstar Christmas [1]
Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Chloe Decker Finds Out, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Cute Lucifer, Cute Trixie Espinoza, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Hell, Hurt Chloe Decker, Inspired by Music, Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV) Needs A Hug, Mutual Pining, New Year's Eve, Other, Poor Trixie Espinoza, Pre-Season/Series 05, Sad Chloe Decker, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:06:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 32,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27852210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlight_1201/pseuds/moonlight_1201
Summary: A Christmas for every season of the show, Lucifer's and Chloe's relationship endures ups and downs as they learn what the true meaning of the holiday season is all about, and how far they are willing go to each other.Originally written November 19 - December 24, 2019Cross-posted on Wattpad in A Collection of Deckerstar...
Relationships: Amenadiel & Linda Martin (Lucifer TV), Chloe Decker & Dan Espinoza, Chloe Decker & Linda Martin, Chloe Decker & Lucifer Morningstar, Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar, Chloe Decker/Marcus Pierce, Dan Espinoza & Trixie Espinoza, Ella Lopez & Lucifer Morningstar, Eve/Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Trixie Espinoza & Lucifer Morningstar, Trixie Espinoza & Mazikeen
Series: Deckerstar Christmas [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2038974
Comments: 48
Kudos: 157





	1. The Christmas Song

**Author's Note:**

> Date: December, 2016
> 
> Location: Los Angeles, California
> 
> Based on the song: The Christmas Song: Nat King Cole

"Morning Detective!" A cheery British accent cut through Chloe Decker's concentration. Chloe looked up from the pile of paperwork she had been working on.

Lucifer Morningstar, her newest partner and civilian consultant for the L.A.P.D. stood over her desk in his dark, crisp, and obviously expensive three-piece suit. In his hands, he held two large Starbucks coffees. He placed one in front of her on the desk.

"Lucifer, what are you doing here? I didn't call you in." Chloe asked.

Lucifer shrugged and pulled up a seat from an empty nearby desk.

"Just thought I'd be here in case any cases came through. We could get to punishing the human scum quicker if I was already here."

Chloe deadpanned and clicked her pen out of annoyance. She doesn't think she'll ever understand this guy's devil-fascination or the insanely weird things he says. She keeps him around because, for some reason, he makes her a better detective, and he has proven himself trustworthy. At least, that's what she tells herself every day when he walks into the precinct.

She picked up the red Starbucks cup and sniffed it. Chloe was overly cautious about any drink Lucifer handed her. There had been one too many instances of him spiking her drinks at work because she "seemed too uptight". She was forced to explain to her consultant -- numerous times unfortunately -- that putting alcohol her in drinks was extremely unprofessional and completely ludicrous that he thought it was okay.

This coffee seemed to be her normal order.

"Lucifer," She began impatiently, "We are here to serve justice and uphold the law. Not punish."

God, how many times had she told him that?

"I have a mountain of paperwork to do. No cases today. You can stay and help, if you want,"

He scrunched his face and sniffed in disgust at the notion of doing paperwork.

Chloe sighed and continued, "I will call you if a case lands. I promise."

Lucifer sighed and hung his head slightly in defeat, muttering "Very well."

Chloe looked back down at her paperwork as Lucifer rose from his seat with his coffee. Part of her felt a little badly that she had snapped at him. A little.

"Go home. Get ready for the holidays. I'm sure Lux has some sort of Christmas party in the books, right? Or does the devil celebrate Hanukkah. Or Kwanzaa?" She teased.

Lucifer turned to face her and rolled his eyes with an amused smile, "Ha ha ha, very funny, Detective."

Chloe smirked.

"Lux will be open on Christmas Eve and Day, if you had the inkling temptation to stop by," He returned the tease, "But no, I don't go out of my way to celebrate it. I wait for New Years."

Chloe nodded and gave a sarcastic, "Ah. I see."

Lucifer nodded, his lips in a tight, small smile.

He looked around the precinct and scrunched his face again, like he had just gotten a whiff of something foul.

"The L.A.P.D. goes all-out for this overly commercialized holiday, don't they?"

Chloe looked around. It was true, the floor was decorated with green wreaths, lights, an array of Santas, snowmen, reindeer, and angel stickers. There were even a few small menorahs on the desks of the few Jewish officers.

Chloe shrugged, "'Tis the season."

Then something dawned on her. She looked up from her paperwork, "So, do you have _any_ Christmas plans?"

Lucifer cocked his head at her, "I don't follow."

Chloe's shoulders sunk in defeat, completely taken aback by how clueless he was on the topic, "I don't know, like family get-togethers, parties, something Christmasy?"

Lucifer snickered, "I can assure you Detective, I will _not_ be getting together with my family at any point during this holiday season. Or any season. I'm sure I'll attend one of the many parties thrown by someone on the Naughty List."

He paused to take a sip of his "coffee" before continuing, "Christmas just isn't a holiday I tend to celebrate, or overly associate with. Obviously."

_Right, obviously_ , Chloe thought. How could she have been so silly? She mentally rolled her eyes and kept her real ones focused on him.

She scoffed and played into his metaphor for a minute. Deep down, Chloe felt horrible that her partner had no plans for the holidays. "Look, I know Christmas and all these holidays are typically religious holidays, which obviously, you're opposed to, but I'm not religious and my family still celebrates Christmas. It's my favorite holiday actually."

Lucifer's eyes seemed to light up some and he seemed much more interested in the conversation all of a sudden.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah. My dad, he used to go all-out for it." Chloe smiled as her cheeks turned red and warm. Lucifer took a seat again, hoping to hear more of the story.

Chloe continued, "He loved decorating for Christmas. My mom, not so much, but he loved it, so she played along. Even after he died, she kept the same traditions to feel closer to him, and now I get to do them with Trixie."

She looked up at her partner. He was listening intently. _Actually listening_ , which was something she wasn't used to him doing.

"We had a fake tree we would put together, and we would string these white lights on it and all the ornaments that I made in school or family ones we collected over the years. On Christmas Eve, Mom always came home from whatever set or convention she was at and Dad would do his best to get off early. We would drink hot chocolate and eat cookies and watch Christmas movies on cable. Before I went to bed, my Dad would always read 'Twas The Night Before Christmas. It was really...magical."

Chloe smiled and stared off, like she could see the memories of her childhood just feet away.

"Sounds lovely," Lucifer replied somberly. Chloe looked up. He was smiling at her, but it seemed sad, and so did his eyes.

He shook himself from the emotional moment and stood up again, "Well, I'll get out of your hair to leave you to your torturous paperwork."

And that he did, turning to gracefully stride out of the precinct, all eyes glancing his way as he passed, as they normally did, Chloe noticed.

Chloe couldn't focus for the rest of the day. She tried her best to catch up on her paperwork before the holidays hit too hard, but she couldn't help this knotted feeling in her stomach at the sadness of knowing someone she cared about not having family to spend the holidays with. That's what the holidays were all about, right? Spending time with the ones you loved?

_Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Yuletide carols being sung by a choir, and folks dressed up like Eskimos. Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe help to make the season bright._

A few hours later when she arrived home to relieve the babysitter, seven year-old Trixie came bounding out of her room to give her mom a big after-school hug.

"Hi monkey! How was your day?" Chloe faked a smile and positivity as she wrapped her daughter in her arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"It was great!" Trixie beamed as she straightened up out of the hug, most of her front teeth missing from her cute smile.

While Chloe paid the sitter and saw her out, Trixie rambled on about the classroom party they had today and all the games she played and candy she won. She was thrilled to be off on Christmas break for a whole two weeks.

Chloe tried her best to pay attention to her daughter's stories, but try as she might, her mind kept wandering off to her melodramatic, playboy partner spending one of the happiest days of the year alone in his penthouse. Even though he's a complete jackass, nobody should have to spend Christmas alone. Although, Chloe supposed he wouldn't be alone. He would probably have the attention of some of L.A.'s most beautiful for some twisted Christmas-kink.

She was staring across the kitchen as she leaned over the counter, gnawing on her thumb nail when a soft, small voice timidly asked, "Is everything okay Mommy?"

Chloe shook herself from her thoughts and looked down at her daughter's concerned face.

Chloe quirked a small smile and replied, "Yeah monkey. Everything's okay. It's just that..."

"Just what?" Trixie whined with concern. Chloe smiled. She and Trixie have always been close; one always seemed to know when there was something wrong with the other. She wished that her little girl didn't pick up on her woes as much as she did, but Chloe was grateful for the strong bond she had with her daughter.

"Well, I got talking to Lucifer at work today," Trixie's face lit up at the mention of Chloe's partner. "He told me that he really doesn't celebrate Christmas and he has no family he talks to around the holidays and they don't talk to him..."

Trixie hung her head and Chloe shrugged with a sigh.

"I don't know. It sounds sticky. I guess I just feel really lucky to have such an amazing person to spend Christmas with."

She pinched Trixie's cheek playfully and the girl giggled, making Chloe laugh too.

When the giggling died down, Trixie perked up again, a bright light behind her eyes that Chloe knew as the one that shined when Trixie had an idea.

"Hey! Can we invite Lucifer over for Christmas Eve? Please Mom? Please!"

Chloe hesitated and leaned her head to one side, biting her bottom lip.

"You said it yourself! He's going to be all alone, and it's just you and me anyway until we go to Abuela's in the morning. Please!"

Chloe thought about it for a moment. Really, it wasn't a lousy idea. Chloe didn't mind having him over as long as he left the strippers, drugs, and murder suspects at Lux. And maybe Mazikeen too. There was just something off about that woman... Anyway, this was the time of year to be open and welcoming to others, and as much as she tried to deny it, there was definitely something more between her and Lucifer than normal work partners. She felt that, despite his quirks, she could trust him. As his partner, she should make sure that he had a happy Christmas.

"Okay," Chloe finally said lightly. Trixie's smiled widened from ear-to-ear.

"Yeah, I'll talk to him the next time I see him at work and invite him over."

"Yes!" Trixie hissed with a fist-pump.

"Ah," Chloe interrupted her glee with a stern finger. "There's a good chance he won't come, so don't be disappointed if he has other plans."

Trixie sighed, her smile dimming but not completely disappearing, "Okay Mommy."

_Tiny tots, with their eyes all aglow, will find it hard to sleep tonight. They know that Santa's on his way. He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh. And every mother's child is gonna spy to see if reindeer really know how to fly._

True to her word, Chloe decided to pull Lucifer aside after a preliminary investigation at their latest crime scene.

"Hey, so, I couldn't help but keep thinking about what you said at the precinct the other day." She started hesitantly.

His eyebrows knit together in confusion as he dug his hands into the pockets of his suit, fishing around for his cigarettes and lighter.

Chloe played with her fingers while he scoffed, "Is this about the Christmas conversation?"

Chloe bit her bottom lip and took a pause before confirming, "...Yeah."

Lucifer stopped his search and cocked an eyebrow with confused and...was that amusement? Ass.

Chloe's confidence crumbled, her timidness getting her nowhere but him laughing at her. "Look, I couldn't stop picturing you spending the holidays alone." She said.

"Oh you think about me when I'm not around, do you?" He bit his bottom lip as his smile curled up.

Chloe pursed her lips and stared daggers at him. She was seriously considering just forgetting about it, " _So I talked to Trixie_ , and...we were wondering if, well, if you didn't have any plans...maybe you would like to come spend Christmas Eve with us?"

He chortled, one corner of his mouth quirking up further as he became more and more entertained by her invitation. "I can assure you, Detective, I most likely won't be spending the day by myself."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "It's freaking Christmas Lucifer. Having people over for sex does not count as holiday company!"

He shrugged, "Maybe not by your standards, but Christmas is just a regular day for me."

Chloe's heart sunk, but there seemed to be nothing she could do to change his mind. She let her hands fall to her sides in exasperation. "It's fine. Just...forget it."

Chloe walked away to get check in with the forensics team. She was about to open her mouth to call out to the tech, but she heard Lucifer call out first, "Ah, Detective, hold on a moment!"

She stopped in her tracks and turned on her heel with exasperation. His posture was much less confident than before. He only had one hand in his pocket now, his right hand motioned aimlessly in the air. His cigarettes and lighter had been put away.

"What exactly do you and your offspring do for this...holiday?"

Chloe's eyebrows knit together. Was he actually considering coming?

"Oh, um, actually, this is our first Christmas Eve without Dan, so I think we decided that we're just going to hang out at home, get something for dinner, then bake cookies, and watch Christmas movies."

Lucifer nodded, seeming very interested in the thrown-together traditions.

He shuffled in place awkwardly for a moment. It threw Chloe completely off-guard. In the months that she knew him, he never did anything awkwardly or without complete grace. How did the topic of family and quiet nights at home throw everything off-balance?

And just like that, his confident playboy swagger returned. He shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "If the offer still stands...I may stop by. For a little bit."

Chloe's heart rose a little. She could feel herself lighting up with a bit of excitement and joy, but she knew it was ridiculous. She gave him a shy smile, trying to show the least amount of glee possible, and prodded, "Really?"

"Well, I've been on this little...tirade - if you can call it that - to experience new things. You and your spawn would be the perfect experiment for me!"

Well, Chloe hadn't expected to be Lucifer's Christmas guinea pig, but what can she say, the guy's a weirdo. At least this would make her emotions subside just a bit to know that her partner would be having a nice Christmas.

Chloe sighed, "Alright, whatever. You can come over anytime after six."

Lucifer beamed a wide smile, "Sounds lovely. Should I bring anything?"

"Just yourself," Chloe replied simply with a smile climbing a little bit higher on her face.

Lucifer's face seemed to soften a little; his expression was a mixture of his normal confident demeanor with the puppy-dog confusion and just a hint of excitement.

"All right Detective. See you then," He finished.

"Okay." Chloe said softly, reverting back to her original plan of speaking with the forensics tech.

_And so I'm offering this simple phrase to kids from one to ninety-two. Although its been said many times, many ways. Merry Christmas to you._

_Ding-Dong_

Lucifer heard Trixie squeal from the other side of the door.

"Mom! He's here!"

Next came the sound of little feet pattering against the wood.

"Don't bombard him please!" The detective called exasperatedly.

"I don't know what that word means!" Trixie giggled as she twisted the doorknob and pulled the door open.

"Merry Christmas, Lucifer!" Trixie yelled as she latched herself onto the man's leg.

"Ah-" Lucifer made a surprised noise at his greeting. She attacked him before he was able to jump out of the way.

"Hello...offspring." He greeted in turn to the little girl refusing to be shaken off his leg. He timidly patted the top of her head, but it didn't appease the hug. He resorted to lightly shaking his leg when Trixie made it clear that she wasn't budging.

Chloe hurried out of the kitchen to free her partner. She had to put her hand in front of her mouth to stifle a laugh. Lucifer was still in the doorway, dressed -- more casually than usual by his standards-- in a red shirt (the top two buttons open), black pants, his Louis Vuitton's, and the rest of him groomed to perfection. He was juggling a decorated box and a bag in one hand while he used the other hand to try and pry her daughter off his leg.

He looked at her with pleading eyes and then back to the little girl.

"Trix, c'mon, let Lucifer in." Chloe chuckled. At her mother's command, Trixie let go but continued to beam up at Lucifer.

"I told you you didn't have to bring anything." Chloe lightly scolded as she moved to take the gifts from him.

He handed them over and stuttered for a second before coolly explaining, "It's nothing. Besides, what kind of devil doesn't bring a gift for his gracious hostess?"

He took one long stride forward and grabbed Chloe's free hand. He bent down and kissed her knuckle gingerly, like a gentleman should do. He glanced up at her and waggled his eyebrows with a smirk.

Chloe scoffed and smirked right back.

"Right. In the hopes that I'll return the favor later right?" She pulled her hand away and turned to walk toward the living room, rolling her eyes as she went.

"Can't say it never crossed my mind." Lucifer replied with a cheeky grin.

Chloe glared at him over her shoulder. She disappeared around the corner.

"C'mon!" Trixie exclaimed, tugging on Lucifer's shirt sleeve. "I'll show you around."

"I know where I'm going child, I've been in your home before." Lucifer argued.

"Not when it's decorated for Christmas." Trixie assured him.

She lead him inside the house. The urchin was right, the house seemed a lot different with all of the festive decorations. It seemed homier...warmer even.

The living room, normally so plain and lived-in (no pun intended), looked like a department store ad. The back wall that the television normally sat against with its stand was replaced with two large socks with the girls' names stitched into them, a mantle-sized perimeter surrounding them outlined by garland and multi-colored lights.

The couch adorned white throw-pillows with snowmen faces on them and red blankets.

The coffee table was set with green paper napkins and three large reindeer cups.

Completely childish and ridiculous.

The center piece of the room, which drew in Lucifer's attention as soon as he entered the small space was the ornately decorated pine tree to the side of the make-shift fireplace.

He knew it had to be a fake, unless the detective was either finding time to visit one of those awful tree lots or shipping small pines to her apartment from up north. It was wrapped in the same multicolored lights used to create the mantle-illusion.

The tree was filled from top-to-bottom with an assortment of ornaments, some more traditional looking, and others hand-crafted, he assumed by the spawn in art class at some point.

There were just a few boxes and bags underneath the spectacle of a tree in brightly colored paper and ribbons. The detective moved some of them around in order to make room for Lucifer's contributions.

At the top was a brightly glowing gold star. Thank Dad that the Decker women weren't ones for sticking tree branches up the arseholes of statues of his siblings.

"What on Earth are you wearing?" He guffawed, motioning distastefully at Chloe's outfit.

She looked down and giggled, "Oh, it's stupid I know, but...'tis the season right?"

Chloe was drowning in an over-sized hideous Christmas sweater. It looked like an old man's. It was striped in a faded navy, red, and green pattern, with snowflakes in each stripe. The sweater was so large it covered her legging-wearing rear, coming down to about her mid-thigh.

"Humans," Lucifer muttered under his breath as he shook his head.

"Anyway," Chloe changed the subject, clapping her hands together gently, "Want to help me with dinner?"

Lucifer followed Chloe into the kitchen, which was just as decorated with garland, lights, paper snowflakes (judging by the not-quite-patterns on them, he assumed the spawn made them), and ceramic Christmas figurines.

The island was covered with Chinese to-go boxes and two bottles of Welch's sparkling wine. It smelled absolutely delicious, but...this wasn't exactly the picturesque and extravagant Christmas dinner they showed in the movies.

"So what are you feeling like? Roast duck? Egg rolls?" She asked, motioning to two different groups of boxes.

"Uh," Lucifer started.

"Did you get my fried rice, Mom?" Trixie came bounding up beside Lucifer.

Chloe chuckled, "Sure did monkey. Why don't you go grab a plate and we'll start eating."

"Okay!" Trixie sped away excitedly to grab her cup from the living room.

"Didn't want to spend all day slaving away over the stove?" Lucifer joked.

Chloe scoffed and replied, "I'm really not one for cooking. Plus, Dan's family always has a big meal Christmas Day. Trixie and I figured we'd just take it easy tonight and order out from our favorite Chinese place."

" _Oh_?" Lucifer sneered, "Spending Christmas with the Douche. That should be fun."

Chloe shrugged and glanced up to see Trixie was suddenly fixated on flipping through the DVR for a Christmas movie.

"It's what we've done every year since we got married, and it's the only real tradition Trixie knows. Plus, we agreed that nothing going on between us would ruin Trixie's Christmas." She huffed and looked down at the food.

Some odd invisible hand seemed to be squeezing Lucifer's chest at seeing the detective so downhearted when she had just been so...merry.

Damn that Douche.

"You know, I think I'm up to try a little of everything Detective." He smiled, leaning over the island.

She perked up and glanced up at him through a few loose strands of dirty blonde hair. Gosh, had her eyes always been _that_ blue?

"Sounds like a plan," She smiled. "Wanna grab us some plates and the cups from the other room so I can get these dished up?"

Lucifer straightened up and even preened a little as he nodded and turned toward the living room.

A few minutes later, the trio was sitting down on the couch, all digging into their Chinese spread and sparkling grape juice.

Well, the girls were enjoying the juice.

Trixie had picked out an array of movies for them to watch, starting with Home Alone.

Lucifer made snide comments throughout the entire film -- mostly about Kevin's family -- and at that at times, he felt he was funnier than the movie. Some of his jokes completely flew over Trixie's head which just made her facial expressions all the funnier. Chloe, however, could not believe that Lucifer had never seen this movie before. She claims it's a classic.

When the credits rolled and their bellies were full of dinner, Chloe went back to the home page and announced, "Okay, what do you say monkey? Up for a little cookie baking or are you still too full?"

Lucifer's eyebrows shot up at the mention of cookies. It was no secret that he had quite the sweet tooth, despite his impressive physique.

"Yeah!" Trixie exclaimed with a bright smile. She threw the blanket she had been cuddled in aside and ran to the refrigerator.

"Wanna help?" Chloe asked Lucifer as she pushed herself off the couch.

He took a deep breath and offered her a half smile with a slow, "Sure,". He in turn got up and followed Chloe into the kitchen.

They spent the next thirty minutes elbows-deep in ingredients. Surprisingly, Lucifer didn't mind this Christmas tradition; it was actually kind of fun! He scolded the detective a few times for not teaching her offspring proper kitchen etiquette. The entire cookie-baking process took longer than likely should have because Lucifer had to teach Trixie how to properly crack eggs, making sure none of the shells got in the bowl. When the time seemed right, he let her in on a few baking secrets, to which she gave her full attention. Then he let Trixie stir, which he knew was a gamble, but only after making sure (at least five times) that her hands weren't sticky. Chloe took small dough-balls out of the bowl and lined two cookie sheets with their work.

While the cookies were in the oven, Trixie insisted that they watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Lucifer never wants to watch this movie ever again.

"Bloody hell!"

"Lucifer! Language!"

Trixie giggled.

"But Detective! They mistreat and bully this...reindeer offspring because he has one deformity. Then everything is ay-okay when they realize that he can be of use to them? I mean, humans _really_ let their children watch this cruelty? And you wonder why the newer generations are a bunch of arseholes to one another! It's because you let them watch rubbish like this growing up!"

"Lucifer, the point of the movie is to accept each other despite of our differences because we're all special in our own ways!" Trixie piped up.

"...Is she always like this?" He asked Chloe while pointing to her daughter who was giggling at Lucifer's side. She's got to have some sort of off-button.

After his nearly one-hour-long rant about not being able to trust fathers in this movie or real life, the oven beeped as their cookies finished baking.

Chloe hurried over to take the cookies out. When she turned back around, Lucifer was standing behind her.

She jumped back, throwing one had over her heart. Then she sighed and laughed, "Jeez! Sorry, I didn't hear you come up."

He laughed and smiled, "Just came to see if you needed any help." He loved watching the detective get flustered.

"Uh, nope I think I'm good. Thank you though." The detective seemed slightly surprised that he asked. He's not sure why, considering that she'd be absolutely nowhere at work without his crime-solving expertise, but tonight, he had other reasons for wanting to help. 

His face fell, "Detective, _please_. Your offspring wants to watch a movie called Frosty the Snowman." He pleaded, his expression and voice all of a sudden becoming very grave, hoping to explain to her the direness of this situation in a way she'd understand and save him. 

Chloe chuckled and shook her head. Then she said, "Yeah. Here, you can take this tray."

She handed him one tray and a spatula to put the cookies on the cooling rack while she took the other.

The cartoon started in the living room and the house was filled with the disgustingly overly-cheery tune of Frosty the Snowman and the small human singing along to it.

Lucifer sighed and shook his head, "I honestly don't know how you do it."

"Do what?" Chloe asked.

Lucifer motioned around him, " _This_. All this bloody jolly Christmas cheer that everybody knows is load of dung. Santa Claus and commercialism and the mind-boggling childish things."

Instead of getting a scolding like he assumed he was going to get for not being jolly, Chloe chuckled and replied, "I know. It can all seem really stupid sometimes, especially with the way the word is. But, I think stuff like this is really important. I mean, not the commercialism and, what did you say? Dung? The family time and...giving the kids a little bit of magic to believe in, even just for a few years, is important though. Honestly, I kind of wished that I believed in Santa Claus longer, but you know me, I always want to know the facts."

Her smile fell a bit.

"At what age did you figure it out?" Lucifer asked.

Chloe made an unsure sound and then, "About four or five I think. Trixie's seven and a lot like me, so I'm not sure how much longer she's gonna want to do all the Santa stuff. I'm surprised she's lasted this long."

Lucifer hummed and then replied, "That's probably her father's influence. I would lay money down that Detective Douche still believes in Santa Claus."

Chloe burst out laughing, which got Lucifer to laugh too. He was thrilled that he was able to put a smile on her face, if even for a moment. However, Lucifer could see Chloe's cheer dip lower and lower the more she talked and thought about it. She kept focused on her work of getting the cookies off the pan though.

"You know," He said while discarding his finished tray, "I truly hate my family. Biggest bunch of tossers you'll ever meet."

Chloe looked up at him with an "Okay?" kind of expression.

"But," Lucifer continued, leaning over the island and gripping it, "You seem to have a very good one. Family, I mean. I think, no matter how old your Hellion gets, she will always want to spend times like these with you."

Chloe genuinely smiled at him with her sparkling blue eyes.

"Thank you Lucifer. That means a lot." She said softly.

He returned the smile with, "You're quite welcome. Although, I don't recommend ever manipulating her, or forcing any kind of control over her. I can guarantee you'll ruin your chances of keeping her around if you do that."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Got it. Thanks for the parenting advice."

"Anytime." He preened as Chloe moved past him. He liked the detective, even though her offspring is extremely strange. He didn't want to see what happened between him and his father happen to them.

"Trixie-babe?" Chloe called into the living room.

"Yeah?" Trixie half-responded with her eyes glued to the TV.

"Do you want to open one of your presents?" Chloe asked playfully.

That got the girl's attention.

"YES!" She yelled and jumped off the couch and headed toward the tree. Trixie hurried to grab the biggest box she could find, but Chloe stopped her.

"Wait! I have one that I really want you to open up tonight. The rest you can open tomorrow before Dad's. _Plus_ , I'm sure Santa will bring you a lot in the morning."

Trixie sighed with defeat but said, "Okay. But...can I open Lucifer's tonight, too?"

Chloe looked behind her shoulder at Lucifer who was sitting with one leg bent over the other on the arm of the couch. He was taken aback by the fact that Chloe was asking him if it was okay if the Trixie opened his gift.

"Presents are meant to be opened, are they not?" He asked.

Chloe shrugged, "Well yeah, but did you want her to wait until Christmas morning?"

Lucifer nearly snorted as he argued, "Goodness no! Rip that paper apart like the Hell-spawn you are child!"

Trixie beamed and reached for the first present she could find. She tore into the smaller box first, the one from Chloe. She pulled out a pair of bright red Christmas pajamas decorated with ice skating penguins wearing Santa hats.

"I figured you could use a new set of Christmas pj's and I thought the penguins were cute." Chloe supplied.

"This is awesome Mommy, I love it!"

" _And_ ," Chloe whispered, leaning her head in close to Trixie's, "I got myself something just like it so we could be twins tomorrow morning."

Both girls giggled.

"Okay, now I wanna open Lucifer's!" Trixie bounced on the balls of her feet.

"You really _did not_ have to get her anything, you know." Chloe scolded.

Lucifer shrugged, "I meant what I said before. The devil is not a rowdy house guest."

Chloe whimpered slightly, ignoring his second statement, "We didn't get you anything though."

"Detective, I assure you, you're hospitality is a fair trade."

"Actually, I got you something Lucifer." Trixie piped up as she dug out a small bag from deep underneath the tree.

Both adults looked at the little girl with bafflement.

"Daddy gave me twenty bucks at the beginning of the month because there was a Santa's Workshop at school and we could buy Christmas gifts for our families. I had enough to buy something for you, Daddy, and Lucifer. You can open yours tomorrow Mom" Trixie explained, a devious smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

Chloe smiled and rubbed her daughter's hair affectionately.

Lucifer was absolutely perplexed. He'd never received a Christmas gift before, not like this at least. Part of him feared what the spawn thought he would like.

Trixie handed him the bag, but he took it apprehensively, like it might bite him or something.

He inspected every inch of the bag and asked, "So, how do we do this? Do we open at the same time?"

"Sure! Ready? One, two, THREE!" Trixie yelled as she began tearing past the wrapping paper.

Lucifer gingerly removed the tissue paper from the small bag and peered inside with a distrustful interest.

"Whoa cool!" Trixie breathed as she finally freed her gift from the wrapping. "Mom, Lucifer got me a scooter!"

"What?" Chloe bent forward to get a better look at the present. Trixie wasn't wrong. Lucifer had bought her daughter a pink motorized scooter.

"How did? When did? Why-" Chloe scrambled for words, but Trixie was literally jumping up and down with excitement.

Lucifer was completely distracted by trying to figure out what Trixie had gotten him but he vaguely replied, "I went to a toy store, asked the young man working there what was all the rage these days for girls the child's age, and this is what he suggested. So there you have it. _What in Dad's name_?"

He was glad that the child seemed to enjoy the scooter; he'd never picked out a present for a human offspring before. She was currently trying to figure out how to open the box and ride the scooter at this very moment, but Lucifer was much more concerned with what he had pulled out of the bag.

"I don't understand." He deadpanned.

"It's a Christmas tie!" Trixie exclaimed.

Lucifer's eyes never left the tie but he replied, "I understand _what_ it is, I just don't understand _why_."

Chloe tried to stifle a laugh as Lucifer held it up. He did not find this situation humorous at all. It was _really_ ugly. The tie consisted of three lines running horizontally down the entire thing, one line of snowmen, another of Santa and his reindeer, and another of cardinals on ivy branches repeating all the way down.

Trixie did not miss a beat and didn't seem to register at all that Lucifer didn't understand why she got him such an ugly tie. Did she not know how gaudy this thing is? Even worse, did she expect him wear it?

"I know you wear suits, like, all the time, so I thought about you when I saw it."

Bloody hell, she does want him to wear it.

"Child, when do you ever see me sporting a tie?" Lucifer inquired

Trixie shrugged and bypassed the question, "You can wear it to your club tomorrow for Christmas!"

Lucifer nodded, his mouth slightly gape, "It would definitely be...a very interesting addition to tomorrow's ensemble."

There was something about her small face, how excited she was about picking out a gift for him, that he couldn't quite bring himself to divulge the entire truth about he felt about it. He would not lie, however.

Struggling to hold in her laughter, Chloe prodded, "Okay my little elf, it's almost bedtime. Why don't you go get in your new pj's and then the three of us can try some of the cookies before bed. Deal?"

"Deal." Trixie affirmed and ran into her bedroom with her new pajama set.

As soon as the door closed, Lucifer spoke up, "You didn't open your gift Detective."

Smiling, she reached under the tree for the tall and thin bag. "If this is lingerie or some kind of sex toy, I'm gonna kick your ass."

Lucifer chuckled, "As much as I'm sure you'd look absolutely delightful in some of the Christmas goodies I perused, that is not what I got you."

Chloe took out one piece of tissue paper and whined, "I still feel terrible that I didn't get you anything."

Lucifer took a deep breath before replying, "Normally, Detective, I follow a simple code of tit-for-tat, and in this case, really, it has been upheld, but I assure you -- and believe me, I cannot believe that I'm saying this-- even if it wasn't seen through in this case, I don't think I would have cared. So...please," He motioned toward the bag with a small smile.

Chloe continued digging through the bag and gasped when she pulled out a very expensive looking red wine.

"It's a Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grand Cru, one of the top burgundy producers in the world. It's absolutely marvelous. Goes down much easier than the horrendous grape juice you chose for this evening."

Chloe stared at the wine and it's extravagant label, her smile pulling wide and gaping slightly. "Thank you," she managed to say in more of a gasp.

He felt the corners of his lips pulled up a bit more and his stomach do a weird flop. Perhaps it was the Chinese food he ate combined with this new mortality business? "You're-"

He was cut off by Trixie bounding out of her room, clad in her new Christmas pajamas and saying (very loudly) that she was ready for cookies.

The next half hour was spent eating the warm Christmas cookies and Trixie educating Lucifer on the legend of Santa Claus. He listened intently, although also in complete disbelief that humans actually get their offspring to believe this outlandish tale.

Chloe glanced at the clock and interrupted the lesson, "I think it's about time for bed, little elf."

"Aww Mom." Trixie whined, "Can't I stay up just a little longer? I'm not even tired!" The girl pleaded, but her argument was contradicted by the release of huge yawn.

Chloe chuckled and pushed, "If you don't go to sleep soon, Santa won't come."

Trixie groaned in defeat, but it was evident that she knew that her mother was right.

"I'll read you a story and tuck you in." Chloe decided.

Trixie nodded and scampered off.

"I'll be, like, fifteen minutes. Then we can try your gift." Chloe turned to Lucifer. He shrugged. He didn't care either way; the wine is the detective's gift to do with it as she pleases. A moment's peace without the bloody cartoons might be nice.

Trixie came out of her room a moment later, carrying a tall, thin book. "Can Lucifer read me a story tonight?" she asked, her big dark eyes pleading.

Chloe hesitated and then answered, "Only if he wants to monkey,"

Both girls turned to their guest. Lucifer paused and then huffed, "Bloody hell, _fine_." So much for a moment's peace. Perhaps he and the detective will actually get one if he does this one last thing.

"Yes!" Trixie pumped her fist in the air and then ran over to jump on the couch. Chloe followed her and snuggled Trixie up into her lap, one leg tucked underneath her and the other hanging off the side of the couch. Lucifer sat gracefully on the other end of the couch and took the book from Trixie. He scrunched his eyebrows together with distaste as he turned the book over in his hands. 

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas?"

"Ooh, that's a good one baby," Chloe cooed. 

"Yeah! It's a poem and it's really good."

"I hardly doubt this is classic poetry of any substance, but if you insist." Lucifer sighed. He suddenly recalled what the detective had told him about this particular story and he glanced over at her. She was smiling and her blue eyes shown with elated excitement as she held her child.

He opened the front cover, cleared his throat, and began reading in his smooth, sultry tone, "'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse..."

_Merry Christmas to you_

Chloe shut the door to Trixie's room, assuring one last time that her daughter was asleep.

Lucifer was pouring two glasses of wine for them and just finishing as Chloe was coming back.

"Congrats. You survived." Chloe joked.

Lucifer scoffed and handed her a glass of burgundy, "I'll admit, this evening wasn't as painful as I thought it would be."

They took to the couch again, a cushion's-width of space between them, and sipped the wine.

"Oh wow," Chloe breathed, "This is incredible. I've always wondered why people pay an obscene amount for this stuff, but wow, now I see why."

Lucifer chuckled at her discovery, "Not on the to-buy list with a police officer's salary though, is it?"

Chloe laughed out loud and shook her head, "Definitely not. Maybe if I never spent a dime of any pay check. That's why I have you though, to buy me stupidly expensive wines."

"Glad I'm of such use to you Detective." He joked.

Chloe looked at the clock and her eyes widened at the time, "Holy crap I didn't realize it was this late! I'm sorry we held you captive so long."

"No apologies necessary," Lucifer assured her, standing up from his spot on the couch, "Tonight was...interesting to say the least."

"A successful experiment?" Chloe sassed, recalling what he had told her a few days ago.

Lucifer hung his head just a bit, but held his confident smile, "Yes, I'd say so."

Chloe walked him to the door, carrying on some confounding small talk about something Dr. Linda had told him about families at Christmas time.

Lucifer looked at the door with a stumped look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Chloe asked.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but, I think your decorations are lacking my favorite Christmas tradition Detective."

"Huh?"

"Mistletoe darling." Lucifer grinned maliciously.

Chloe rolled her eyes and opened the door, deadpanning, "Goodnight Lucifer."

He chuckled and walked out, complaining adamantly about Chloe's lack of Christmas cheer.

She shook her head and couldn't help but laugh with him.

They gazed at each other for just a moment and she saw Lucifer tense up at the awkwardness. Catching himself, he straightened up and said, "Well, have a good night Detective, and...thank you, again."

"Anytime." Chloe returned, leaning against the door frame casually. Then she stood up and opened her arms for one of the dreaded hugs Lucifer actively tried to avoid.

She wrapped him in her arms, even though he was stiff as a board. Eventually, he in turn wrapped his arms around her, very gingerly though.

"Merry Christmas Lucifer." Chloe whispered.

"...You too Detective." He said with confusion, despite the unusually warm and comfortable feeling he was getting in his stomach. The exchange felt...good.

Maybe this Christmas-thing wasn't as bad as he thought.

_To be continued..._


	2. Christmas In My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe, Lucifer, and Trixie spend another Christmas together, but this time with a new member and much more classic Deckerstar tension and denial of feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date: December 24th, 2017
> 
> Location: Los Angeles, California
> 
> Based on the song: Christmas In My Heart: Loving Caliber

Chloe Decker and her daughter, Trixie, were waiting patiently at home on Christmas Eve for the missing piece of their second annual Christmas-Eve-In.

Trixie grumbled from the couch, "Where is he? I'm starving!"

Chloe sighed, finishing a text to Dan about the next day's arrangements, "I don't know monkey, but I'm hungry too."

Just then, Lucifer's contact picture popped up on her screen as the shrill ringing began. Chloe quickly pressed the green accept button and huffed into the phone, "Lucifer, _where are you_? We're starving!"

The roaring sound of the wind muffled his answer. He must be driving with the top down, "I know, Detective, I know. Apparently we weren't the only ones ordering pizzas on Christmas Eve."

"Oh," Chloe breathed, calming down, "Busy night?"

"Agonizingly so. Not to worry though. I was able to cut a deal with the store manager, and he let our order slide ahead," He chuckled and then laughed, "and I'm sure I'll be seeing him at Lux looking for me to fulfill my end of the bargain before New Years!"

Chloe shuddered, an image of the precinct filled with Lucifer's exes in for questioning slipping into the forefront of her mind.

Through grit teeth, she cut him off, "Lucifer," then she took a deep breath and finished with, "Please just...get here soon. Trix and I are really hungry."

"Devil's honor, Detective." He answered cheerily. She could just imagine him raising three fingers in the air in salute.

Chloe hung up with a shake of her head.

"I'm gonna go play outside while we wait." Trixie decided.

"'Kay babe." Chloe replied as a very bored-looking Trixie made her way outside.

Chloe watched out of the kitchen window as Trixie grabbed some chalk and set to doodling on the sidewalk.

_Hold up I am on my way, I'm in motion! Let's go to the ocean! Yeah let's go outside._

The black corvette pulled up a few minutes later, but later enough that Trixie was just about finished with her chalk drawing.

"Offspring," Lucifer greeted dismissively as he pulled two pizza boxes out of his passenger seat. He was wearing his burgundy three-piece suit today with a coal black shirt underneath.

Trixie smiled up at him, greeting, "Hi Lucifer! Merry Christmas!"

He looked at the sidewalk as Trixie brushed the chalk dust off her hands and pants.

"What're you doing?" He asked, eyes still scanning the chalk-art.

Trixie sighed, "It's my welcome home present for Maze. I'm really bummed that she couldn't be home for Christmas. The four of us hanging out would've been _so_ fun!"

Her bottom lip jutted out and she hunched her shoulders in a pout, a few locks of her short brown hair fell over her face.

Lucifer bit the inside of his cheek and sighed as he thought. A pouting urchin was no way to spend this evening. Plus, pouting usually led to the weepy waterworks, and he was not in the mood for those.

Then he got an idea. He would need to get the goods inside the apartment first though.

"Here. Why don't you take the dinner in the house while I get your gift?"

Trixie perked up at the mention of a present. "Okay!" She took the pizza boxes from him with a smile and a grunt while Lucifer murmured something about greedy humans and holiday seasons. She chose to ignore him though.

"They're heavy." She grunted as soon as the boxes were in her arms.

"Please don't drop them. I can't cut another deal like that while they're so busy." Then he paused and shook his head, "What am I going on about? Of course I can! Just...don't drop them."

He looked down for the child, but he found that she was already up the stairs and trying to get into the apartment.

Lucifer gathered up his boxes for the girls and followed her up the stairs.

_We can hang out on the beach without freezing. Yeah, isn't that amazing? In Christmas time._

"Mom! Lucifer's here!" Trixie called as soon as they got the door open.

Chloe came out of kitchen to help take the pizzas from Trixie.

"Oh man, that smells _really_ good." Chloe observed.

"Detective, I have no problem cooking you and your spawn an actual meal so that you wouldn't have to nourish your angry stomach with grease and carbs." Lucifer argued, taking off his burgundy jacket as he stepped inside the apartment.

Chloe smiled and shook her head, "This is more fun though! I figured you of all people would at least appreciate breaking the rules for a special occasion."

His smile widening, he chuckled mischievously, "Detective, you know I'm _always_ up for breaking the rules."

He pulled out his phone to send a quick text, and then walked over to the vibrant Christmas tree and gingerly placed his perfectly wrapped boxes underneath. Honestly, he could wrap presents so perfectly that they look like they came right out of a display window? It's not fair, Chloe thought.

Chloe worried at her bottom lip. Given all that had been going on between her and Lucifer this year, she wasn't sure if re-inviting him over for Christmas Eve was the best idea. She'll admit, she had some intense feelings for him just a few months ago, and she thought he wanted to reciprocate those feelings. Apparently, she thought wrong. Too much has happened to convince Chloe that a relationship with Lucifer would be a remarkably bad idea. They just live in two completely different worlds to be in any kind of romantic relationship; it would just end in a lot of hurt, probably more so for her. They make great work partners, and she definitely doesn't want to loose that.

At least he decided not to bring his stripper wife - sorry! - _exotic dancer ex-wife_. He had the marriage annulled about a week after he dismantled their lives _again_. Chloe still wasn't over the ship-wreck of a heart break that was Candy Morningstar, but there was no way in hell she was going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that still hurts her.

So why did she invite him over again this Christmas? Well, obviously, Trixie would've been crushed if two of her favorite people were absent this year. She knew that her daughter's heart was broken when she found out that their new roommate wouldn't be in town to spend Christmas with them (work trip), so deciding not to invite Lucifer would really put a damper in the eight year-old's merriment.

There was also the fact that Chloe couldn't stand the thought of her best friend alone in his penthouse for the holidays. What was even more disturbing was the thought of him _not_ being alone, but in company with barely-dressed elves and God knows what else.

Chloe asked him over again because she cares about her _best friend_.

That's it.

He made that perfectly clear a few months ago. " _Friends_? That's exactly what we are. _Just friends._ " She remembers him saying that and shattering her heart into a million pieces. Even though he seems to contradict himself every other week, but Chloe can't play the games with him anymore.

The trio took to the festively decorated living room with their plates filled with pizza to watch the second installment of Home Alone, since Lucifer enjoyed watching it last year. This year came with double the laughs and double the commentary.

"The fact that Kevin is being punished for the obvious sins of his dickish older brother is horrifying. There's absolutely no sense of justice in that house!"

"Watch your mouth, and Kevin's being a little stinker, even though the pageant thing is Buzz's fault. He's not helping himself much."

"Still! They should be locking _Buzz_ in the attic or making him sleep underneath the cousin with bladder-control issue. And how can _anyon_ e put up with the verbally abusive uncle?"

The complaints and giggles continued. Trixie laughed her head off and cheered along with all of the awesome pranks Kevin pulled on the adults. Lucifer made sure to address the Donald Trump cameo, and said that he'd see him in a decade or so. Chloe didn't understand what he meant; Trixie noticed her mother's confusion and clarified, "He means that Trump is going...you know," and she pointed to the floor.

Chloe's eyes widened in shock. Swatting Lucifer on the arm, she scolded him through clenched teeth, "Don't be saying stuff like that!" and eyed Trixie, meaning that he shouldn't be insinuating someone is going to Hell around her eight year-old.

Lucifer looked slightly affronted by the sudden slap on his arm, rolled his eyes, and mumbled something about it being true and being the devil.

Ha! There's another two reasons why Chloe shouldn't romantically be involved with him. He's highly inappropriate and _delusional_! Linda Martin may be a great friend, but Chloe still doubts her skills as a therapist sometimes. He's been seeing her for over a year, and he still thinks he's Satan.

But he can be so sweet and protective and funny the rest of the time...

All great qualities of a best friend, Chloe reminds herself.

_We'll be chilling and having a good good time. Doesn't matter if the snow is falling, all the windows, and the rain is pouring. It will always be Christmas in my heart!_

After they finished a majority of their pizza and movie, the adults cleaned up.

"Hey," Trixie shyly spoke up, "It was really nice outside earlier. Do you guys think we could maybe go hang out at the beach a little bit?"

Chloe leaned her head to one side and answered hesitantly, "I don't think so monkey. It's already starting to get dark out and you know how cold it gets at night."

"Now hold on Detective," Lucifer interrupted, "The child is right. It's a beautiful evening. Why don't we go walk off this pizza so we can get right to dessert when we come back?"

Why was he waggling his eyebrows and grinning at her?

Oh. My. God. Does _everything_ have a double meaning with him? Chloe lightly pounded her fist on the island with a shake of her head.

"Yeah! Let's do that! Please Mom?" Trixie begged, completely missing the sexual innuendo.

It seemed to be a majority vote. Chloe caved, "All right. We can go to the beach."

"YES!" Trixie pumped a fist in the air and sped toward Lucifer.

"Oh! No, what're-" He shouted as he jumped away from her, his hands displayed defensively in front of him.

Trixie's smile widened and gave him a high-five instead of a hug.

"Thanks for the help!" She called as she ran to get her jacket and shoes.

_But this year I wanna hang out with my friends and family, making angels in the sand you and me. Doesn't matter when it's Christmas in my heart._

The group walked out the back door of the apartment and headed down the boardwalk to the beach as the sun was setting over the water. Lucifer sent another text as they walked.

A few groups had set up Christmas barbecues, volleyball games, and decorated palm trees. Beachy Christmas music was playing from numerous speakers, and people danced and swayed with cheer, laughing with one another.

"This is pretty cool," Chloe observed as Trixie ran ahead of them toward the shoreline.

"Hey Trix! Be careful by the water!" Chloe called as she fiddled with her necklace, the one with the small diamond in the center.

Trixie gave a thumbs-up in reply.

"Definitely not your more traditional festivities, but seems fun nonetheless." Lucifer agreed. He grunted and looked down, "Might be more fun if I wasn't getting bloody sand in my shoes though,"

Chloe giggled, "Maybe if you just take them off or wear sandals every once in a while this wouldn't be a problem."

Lucifer raised his eyes to meet hers, offense written all over his face, "And let my socks and/or my reputation get ruined? No thank you."

Chloe held her hands up in defeat. He could really be dense sometimes.

They watched Trixie run up and down the beach as she chased the seagulls, every once in a while taking their eyes off of her to check out what was going on at the parties.

"So the 'Tis the Season sweater is making a reappearance?" Lucifer interrupted the silence and pointed at Chloe's Christmas sweater.

She scoffed and pulled awkwardly at the bottom of it. She was wearing the same big, ugly sweater that she did last year.

"Oh, yeah. It's my favorite." She smiled fondly.

Lucifer was about to make a comment about her dull taste in fashion, but she beat him too it, "It was my dad's, you know."

Her eyes scanned the horizon to follow her daughter. They lit up with green hues from the setting sun as Lucifer watched her with reverence.

He closed his mouth at the mention of the detective's father. It didn't seem like too long ago that they went through the whole Warden Smith debacle, and he told Chloe that he truly thinks John would be proud of her. It was then that he had his first lesson in happy tears.

"He, um, he would wear this sweater every year at Christmas," Chloe chuckled at the memory. "I always told him it was so ugly, and I even tried buying him new Christmas sweaters to replace this one but...he adamant about wearing this one on Christmas Eve."

She sighed and smiled down at her sweater.

"I never did figure out what he liked so much about it. After he...after he died, I... I dug it out of the boxes we put his clothes in and kept it for myself. This way, it's like, a part of him is still with me for the holidays."

She sniffed.

"My apologies, Detective. I didn't mean to trudge up any ill memories for you," Lucifer said sincerely.

Chloe waved him off and ran a finger under her eyes to wipe away the tears, "No, it's nothing. Don't feel bad. I, uh," She chuckled and gave a half smile, "I actually haven't told anybody that before,"

Now she turned to look at him, the tears plus the dying sunlight making her eyes a true emerald green. Her smile was absolutely radiant.

"You know," She said softly, "For a guy who says he has a lot of family, I'm surprised you guys don't do more stuff like this," She gestured around to the large parties on the beach. "Is Amenadiel going home for Christmas?"

Lucifer sighed, "I don't think my brother is welcome at home anymore, or he's convinced of it at least. Looks like he'll be spending more time with us here in Los Angeles."

Chloe made an unhappy noise. "I'm sorry. That must be hard. Especially at this time of year."

Lucifer considered her seriously. She was being sincere about her feelings toward his family. It hurt her that they weren't close for the holidays.

"Detective, I," He started, shifting to face her more fully. Chloe took a step toward him, and she gazed at him softly, still feeling a tad vulnerable from telling him the story behind her ugly sweater. There was something gleaming in his eyes, she noticed. Something...different. She had only gotten glimpses of this otherness about them maybe once or twice before, but it never stayed long.

He leaned his head forward, a familiar feeling urging her body to connect with his. He wasn't shying away either.

Lucifer's phone began its shill ringing in his pocket.

Chloe let out a long breath and cleared her throat, during back to the ocean to find Trixie and away from what almost ensued.

Lucifer groaned, seemingly ready to eviscerate whoever picked now to interrupt him.

" _What_?" he growled into the speaker. His furious demeanor slowly transformed into excitement as whoever was on the other line began speaking.

"All right! See you in a bit." He answered happily and hung up.

"Who was that?" Chloe asked as she cleared her throat again, something she did when she was trying to hide jealousy.

Lucifer didn't answer her. Instead, he cupped two hands around his mouth and called out, "Urchin!"

Trixie was on the ground, waving her arms and legs furiously in the sand. She stood up abruptly with a wide smile when she heard Lucifer call her nickname. Sand trickled out of her hair and down her clothes.

Lucifer waved her over and Trixie came running. She stopped a little too close for comfort, so despite the mischievous gleam in his eye, he took a step back to maintain personal space, folding his hands behind his back.

Clearing his throat, he smiled down at Trixie with that smirk that says, "I know something you don't".

"Offspring."

"Yeah?"

"It appears that one of your presents decided to show up fashionably late and doesn't want to wait under the tree."

Trixie cocked her head to the side, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Chloe was just as confused.

"Huh?"

Lucifer's grin widened as he turned himself to the side and presented what was behind him with a graceful wave of his arm, like he was a magician about to make a white rabbit appear out of a hat.

Chloe hadn't noticed her before and her eyes widened at the unexpected sight.

Walking down the end of the boardwalk, and dressed in leather from head-to-toe was...

"MAZE!" Trixie shrieked, making Lucifer release an uncomfortable noise, a hand flying to his right ear as Trixie sped past him.

Maze looked up and smiled when she saw Trixie running.

The girl flung herself around Maze's waist. Maze flinched just a little bit at first, but then accepted the hug and brought the little girl in tight.

Trixie was bursting with joy as she asked, "What're you doing here? I thought you were working over Christmas!"

Maze glanced up at the adults standing just a few feet away from them. Lucifer was preening at his work and Chloe seemed just as happy and confused to see Maze there as Trixie.

Keeping her eyes on Chloe, Maze answered, "I caught the human scum bag yesterday and brought him to the Lincoln police. I just couldn't get a flight back until the twenty-sixth. That's why I said I wouldn't be home for the holidays."

Lucifer cut in, "Until I offered to send the private jet."

Maze smirked.

"Hold on. You have a private jet?" Chloe gaped.

Lucifer scoffed with a silly grin, "Of course," and shrugged with an eye-roll as if to say, "Who doesn't have a private jet?"

"Does this mean you're staying now?" Trixie gasped.

Maze hesitantly turned her eyes to Chloe and slowly answered, "As long as your mom says it's okay."

"Maze," Chloe chuckled, "It's your home too. Of course it's okay"

The girls celebrated their yes and high-fived each other.

"C'mon monkey," Chloe interrupted the celebrations, "Let's go back inside. Wanna bake some cookies and watch another movie?"

"Yeah!" Trixie agreed, taking Maze by the hand and leading the group back up the boardwalk to the apartment.

"Ooh! Maze, did you see that drawing I made you on the sidewalk?" Trixie asked.

Maze chuckled, "Sure did, little human. Who was the green thing we were kicking the crap out of?"

"The Grinch," Trixie explained, "Before he turned good. He was trying to steal Christmas so you and I were helping Santa get the presents back."

A small "aww" escaped Chloe lips and Lucifer chuckled. "They make quite the pair, don't they?" He observed quietly, glancing toward the demon and child.

Chloe nodded and agreed, "Sometimes I'm not sure if she's my favorite of Trixie's friends, but they can be really cute sometimes."

Lucifer hummed and his voice dropped into a serious tone, "Detective, I give you my word, you have _nothing_ to worry about when it comes to your offspring's safety. In all my time with her, I've never seen Maze so fond of someone, not like this. The child is safe in Mazikeen's company. Though, I'm not quite sure my demon will _enjoy_ Christmas festivities."

Chloe turned her head to look him in the eyes as they walked. There was something odd about them again, but not what she saw earlier. This was something ancient and completely sincere. It was like he was pouring his entire soul into this promise and when he spoke about time, it was almost as if he meant centuries or more.

Chloe gave him a small smile and nodded, saying, "I know." She could work on deciphering the strangeness later.

"Oh! Lucifer?" Trixie called back.

"Yes?"

"Did you see that sand angel I made?" Trixie beamed.

Lucifer looked baffled for a moment. "Is _that_ what you were doing when you were rolling around in the sand?"

"Uh huh!" Trixie affirmed with excitement and pride in her voice.

"Well why on Earth would you want to do that?" He inquired.

Trixie shrugged, "I don't know. Just fun."

Lucifer grumbled, "I hardly see how getting sand all down your backside just to draw a picture of one of my siblings is fun."

Chloe snorted and then said, "Well, technically, they're supposed to be snow angels, but we've gotta work with what we have,"

Lucifer rolled his eyes, "Still."

_And I can promise Santa's comin' to visit. Yeah he wouldn't miss it, in Christmas time._

When they made it back to the house, Trixie leaped at the chance to start making the cookies. Maze pulled out a bottle of vodka from a higher pantry and took a deep swig straight from the bottle.

Chloe gave her best disapproving-mom look, but her roommate payed her no mind.

"Ooh, sharesies?" Lucifer beamed while Maze handed over the bottle and set to raiding the left-over pizza.

Chloe rolled her eyes in defeat and turned back to her daughter, who was giggling as she put ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

As Maze and Lucifer passed the vodka bottle back-and-forth between each other, Trixie jumped at the chance to show Lucifer how good she had gotten at cracking eggs since he showed her how to last Christmas. To Chloe's surprise, he beamed with pride at what Trixie had accomplished, instead of berating her for "sticky hands".

Once the cookies were in the oven, Trixie ran over to the living room and exclaimed, "I know which movie we should watch next!"

"What's that monkey?" Chloe asked as she and Lucifer cleaned up the kitchen.

Trixie gave a toothy grin and mumbled, "Lucifer's gonna like this one,"

He picked his head up, "What's that?"

Trixie giggled and Maze walked over too see what was so funny. When she saw the title on the TV screen, she smirked and bumped Trixie's knuckles. "Nice one."

Lucifer looked at Chloe apprehensively, who just shrugged in response. With a huff, he strode over to the living room to see what the commotion was about.

"How The Grinch Stole Christmas?" He read like it was the first time he was hearing it.

Trixie giggled and said, "Yeah! It's _so_ funny. You're kinda like The Grinch, ya know?"

Lucifer looked at her, appalled, "How do you figure that spawn? Do I look green and hairy to you? Do I speak like Dr.-Bloody-Suess?" He motioned to his person.

Trixie shook her head, her smile never faltering, "No. You're funny like The Grinch, I guess. And sometimes you can be...grinchy."

"'Grinchy' is not an adjective child." He argued as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Before either of them could argue further, Chloe came over and interrupted, "Okay, if you wanna watch this one, let's put it on so we can finish it before bed."

Trixie sat squashed in between Maze and her mom, with Maze lounging on the arm of the chair. Lucifer sat next to Chloe, who had left a bit space in between them, but much less compared to last year.

Lucifer noticed this and gulped nervously. The moment they had on the beach didn't seem like something that lead to couch-space. He decided not to say anything about it because the detective seemed thoroughly engrossed in the film. Instead, he draped his left arm over the back of the couch.

The Urchin was right, this movie _was_ hilarious (thank to Jim Carey mostly), almost as much as Home Alone 2. While he didn't see many similarities between himself and the main character, he could appreciate the fellow's feelings of being wronged for being different than the other Whos, and his bitterness toward everything the Whos stand for.

That and throwing a whole child in the trash.

_Oh, and, sunset is just getting better on a blanket with the skyline painted in blue. Ooh, that's what we do!_

When the night was over, Lucifer returned to his penthouse, something nagging at his mind, like he forgot to do something.

They exchanged gifts, ate the cookies Urchin made, and he read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas until she fell asleep, all just like last year.

Hmm, what was it?

He looked down at his arms. He didn't forget his gift there.

The detective and her offspring had given him a framed photo. It was obvious that the spawn decorated the frame. It was full of multicolored sparkles and unicorn stickers. Thoroughly horrendous artwork, but it had been obvious during the unwrapping that she was proud of it, and he didn't want to disappoint the small urchin.

The best part was the picture inside the frame. He remembers the day this picture was taken too.

It was about three months ago. The detective needed to pick up her offspring from school in the middle of a busy day of the two of them interviewing suspects and chasing leads. The child was mastering the art of the selfie, so she begged for a selfie of the three of them in the car. Lucifer was hesitant about it at first. He didn't need his reputation ruined by having his picture taken while picking a grubby spawn up from the child-laden hell-hole they call school.

She had promised not to post it anywhere; she would keep it between them if he just took one selfie with her.

He had grumbled, "Fine,"

Chloe needed a little more pleading. She wasn't in the mood for a picture after working all day. After Trixie and Lucifer pestered her enough, she finally gave in.

At a red light, Lucifer took Trixie's phone to the front seat, to get a superior angle, and snapped the photo.

This was the first time since then that he had seen this picture. The urchin had technically upheld her end of the bargain. She didn't post this picture anywhere, and it was staying between the three of them. He decided that Maze didn't count, no matter how much she laughed.

He grinned down softly at the overly-decorated picture. Trixie leaned forward in the middle of the back seat so that she could be seen better. She smiled with all her teeth; her hair was much shorter in this picture than it is now. Gosh, she is growing up quickly.

Lucifer shook his head and cleared his throat, momentarily forgetting that he was alone in his penthouse and nobody was reading his thoughts. What did he care that a human child was getting older? Don't they all do it eventually? Why should this one be any different?

He noticed that he was smiling similarly, though, his photo-face was more practiced. His eyes were even and neither one scrunched. He seemed...happy in the photo, even though he was just fulfilling his end of a deal, but it made present-day Lucifer feel good inside.

Then there was the detective. Her smile was just a small line with the corners curving upward, no teeth to be seen. Her eyes were a magnificent shade of turquoise that day, sparkling like a lake under a summer sun. Her blonde pony tail fell over her shoulder as she leaned her head to her right in order to fit in the frame.

Lucifer smirked and set the frame on his bedside table.

If he was being honest with himself, it was probably the best gift he had ever received, besides the detective saving Lux without him asking her to. It seemed that he wasn't as good at this gift-giving thing as he thought he was. He had once again gotten the detective a bottle of the top wine from that year, since she liked it so much last year. She seemed to appreciate it again, and the spawn seemed thrilled about the book on space explorations and the theories NASA has about extra-terrestrial beings, but how did their gift to him make his heart swell as it had? Did his gifts make them feel that way? He has a strong suspicion that they didn't. He'd have to ask Dr. Linda's advice for gift exchanging next year. She's good with these types of emotions. He'd bet that she'd have good ideas for him on how to get a meaningful gift for the detective.

He stole one last glance at the picture, wondering if this is what "family-time" is supposed to feel like. Was this what Dad had intended for human families to be like? Was it the original plan for their own family? At least at one time?

Family.

Right. The detective was upset by the fact that he and Amenadiel were not welcomed home for the holidays. Family wasn't his thing though. He couldn't just invite Mum and Amenadiel over for Christmas drinks like a human family. It's just...not them.

_Speaking of drinks, I need one,_ Lucifer thought, shaking his head to clear the pit-like feeling in his stomach.

While he poured himself the remnants of an old bottle of scotch, he forced himself to concentrate on something else, a strategy the detective had a few times mentioned helped her. He mulled over this "thoughtful gift" idea, and what he could possibly get the detective (that he hadn't already) that would give her the same feeling he had gotten tonight.

He has more money that almost anybody in the world; it shouldn't be this difficult to find the perfect gift for the detective!

Lucifer stood and perused the penthouse; maybe something in here would spark an idea.

Books? The detective likes to read. Maybe figuring out what she's always wanted to read would do the trick? Although...now with e-books and the like, if she really wanted to read something, she could just go online and buy it. No, a book's not good enough.

Bloody hell, this would be a lot easier if he could just use his ability on her!

He picked through his safe next. He had countless jewels and riches from different ages, lands, and monarchs in there. Surely, there had to be _something_ in here that would make the detective's heart just swell with joy.

But there wasn't. Sure, Chloe would look beautiful in all these diamonds. He would give her all of it if he thought that this is what she truly desired. But if he was being honest, he didn't think it's at all what she desires.

"Why does this woman have to be so bloody difficult?" Lucifer mumbled to himself.

He leaned with his right arm against the wall, looking aimlessly for something, anything, that could spark an idea.

Then something caught his eyes.

It wasn't a gleam or a sparkle, it was actually the fact that something wasn't shining in his safe that caught his attention.

With his thumb and index finger, Lucifer gingerly picked up the object that sat so very hidden among the beauty kept in the safe.

He squinted at it at first, his mind blanking on what this object was.

He stepped into the light to get a better look and nearly kicked himself for not recognizing the object at first.

It was just about the size of a thumb nail, imperfectly circular, and copper. He smirked.

It was the bullet from the night the detective shot him in the warehouse last year. He had told her to shoot him so that she could see that he was indeed immortal, and going further, the actual devil.

Of course, his plan was foiled by - unknown to him at the time - his vulnerability issue whenever he's around Chloe Decker. This bullet had pierced his knee and he bled, needing stitches and help walking until he returned to Lux later that night.

_What if I give this back to her_? He thought. Although, how silly would that be, "Here you are Detective, this is the remnants of the bullet you shot me with!" No, that's stupid.

He grumbled in defeat, squeezing the bullet in his fist, but being careful as not to crush it.

His eyes caught the jewelry in the safe again and they landed on a diamond necklace that was worth somewhere over ten million dollars. He didn't remember how much it was actually worth, that was a ballpark answer. Did it matter though? Greedy humans put too many zeros on everything, believing that money is the only power, the only thing that matters in this world.

Wait, a necklace, that's it!

His face lit up with joy as he twirled the flattened bullet in his fingers. He knows a jeweler who owes him a favor; surely he can turn this little memory into a necklace for the detective! Maybe a copper or brass chain? Something a little longer so that it would go with every outfit?

This necklace could be a momentum to their partnership, for everything they've been through together. Maybe even a way for him to tell her - without actually telling her - how much she means to him. He never meant to hurt her.

All Lucifer Morningstar knew in that moment was that Chloe Decker is something... _someone_ very special to him, her birthday was coming up in a few months, and he wanted to make her a bullet-necklace. He didn't even need to wait for next Christmas!

"Merry Christmas, er, happy birthday Detective," He smiled gleefully as he gazed at the bullet fragment.

_We'll be chillin' and havin' a good good time. Doesn't matter if the snow is falling on the windows, and the rain is pouring. It will always be Christmas in my heart. But this year I wanna hang out with my friends and family, makin' angels in the sand you and me, doesn't matter it's Christmas in my heart!_

_To be continued..._


	3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The traditions change quite a bit this year, but are still fun at heart. Except...Luci might need a hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date: December 25th and 24th, 2018
> 
> Location: Los Angeles, California
> 
> Based on the song: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Jason Manns & Jensen Ackles

Lucifer sat at his piano on Christmas Day, a bottle of fine, vintage whisky accompanying him. It had been a rough week; he thought it appropriate to break out the good stuff in an attempt at changing his mood.

Actually, scratch that. It had been a rough year in all honestly.

As if sending Mum to her own universe, losing his devil-face, and Dad slapping never-ending wings on his back weren't bad enough, the detective had set her sights on someone new.

It seems that he had made too many mistakes. He pushed the detective too far away in an attempt to protect her and make sure that she still had choices, that she wasn't being forced into anything. Mission accomplished in that respect, he supposed. However, her treatment of him as strictly a coworker and a friend wasn't settling right with him. Frankly, it felt like someone had jammed a hot poker through his back and it was coming out through is stomach.

They weren't exactly defined yet, but this new Lieutenant, Marcus Pierce, seems to be pretty ambitious, and the detective, is tired of playing games and being hurt, especially by Lucifer.

Lucifer spread his fingers to the middle-C position and took a deep breath before turning the holiday-love song into a melancholy message to Chloe, even though she wasn't there to hear it. As the lyrics rolled off his tongue, the last twenty-four hours played over in his mind, all sorts of emotions wanting to spill over the surface, as each memory drudged up something different.

_Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light. From now on, our troubles will be out of sight._

The detective had once again invited him to Christmas Eve celebrations with her offspring. Maze, who still took up residency in the apartment and was the child's best friend, was obviously invited as well. However, this year, the detective wanted to spend the holiday with Pierce without having to awkwardly introduce him to her daughter as her...undefined something...as well as having her almost-something and demonic roommate there.

So, as a fix, she invited all of their friends over to lighten the mood. At least, that's what Lucifer kept telling himself. He kept trying to convince himself that a group of compatriots would do him some good in this situation, and maybe provide him with some distraction.

Upon entering the apartment, Lucifer admitted that the mood _was_ lighter than normal. Being in the company of all of their mutual friends made seeing her flirt (at least her botched attempt at it) just a bit bearable.

This was more of Lucifer's element; a party, a gathering of people looking for a good time. Sure, it wasn't _his_ definition of a party or a good time, but this one night of the year had become something he had looked forward to. Well, spending time with a merry detective is what he looked forward to. The movies the urchin picked out, not so much.

_Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Make the yuletide gay. From now on, our troubles will be miles away._

"Lucifer!" Trixie exclaimed when she finally got through the crowd of people in the tiny apartment to attack him with a vice-like hug, just after he set the present he brought underneath the tree.

Making a noise that was half surprise and half disgust, Lucifer patted Trixie on the head in the hopes of getting her to release him.

This was the first time he'd ever tried the pat-release and she'd actually let him go. Relief flooded through him at the fact that, for once, he didn't have to pry the little creature off of him. That was until he looked down and saw the odd expression on her face.

Recently, Lucifer has come to realize that one thing he is really not good at is human emotions. However, he's learned that the detective's offspring is often very, if not too, happy and excited. Seeing such a mixture of unhappy emotions on her face definitely made all other thoughts freeze.

"Urchin, what's wrong?" He asked solemnly, taking a step back in case of weepy-water works.

Trixie shrugged and gave him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Nothing. It's Christmas. Christmas is happy. And we have a bunch of people to hang out with this year!"

Lucifer nodded and hummed in agreement. He straightened himself up and crossed his wrists in front of him, holding his left in his right hand. His eye contact with the spawn didn't break, but he could tell that she was having to try harder to keep up her strong front.

When it seemed like she was about to crack, Ella's excited greeting pierced the air, making Lucifer jump.

"Merry Christmas Luce!" She enveloped him in a hug similar in restraint to the child's, but seeing as Miss Lopez is taller than the urchin, she was able to confine most of his body.

He grunted and stiffened at her sudden contact. What is with all the bloody hugs tonight? It seemed like he wasn't the only one getting attacked with the disgusting display of affection, looking around the room. Everyone had or was still hugging someone as they walked in.

When Lucifer didn't return the embrace, Ella shrugged it off and released him, instead resorting to playfully punching him in the arm and exclaiming, "I didn't know you were coming! Great to see you Big Guy,"

Big Guy? Isn't that how Miss Lopez normally refers to his father? Either way, Lucifer wasn't in the mood to pay any mind to nicknames, whether the forensic scientist meant it or not. His eyes scanned the room for the smallest human. The urchin had _lied_ to him. Right to his face. A most despicable act indeed and one that he loathes above anything else, thus choosing not to associate with and partake in it. Why did the normally jovial human offspring feel the need to conceal something from him?

"Er, yes, the detective, her offspring, and I have gotten together the last few years to celebrate," Lucifer replied distractedly, still scanning the room for the only human spawn present.

Ella babbled about something being adorable and she figured with the role he was trying for, he'd avoid Christmas all together, but it was super sweet that he did this with Chloe and Trixie.

"Oh shoot! We're not invading are we?" She suddenly asked, a horrified expression drowning away any previous excitement. She stared up at him with hurting dark brown eyes.

"Hmm?" Lucifer's attention was pulled back by her sudden change in tone. "Oh, goodness no," He deflected with a toothy grin, "personally, I'm glad that everyone else could come. Anything to avoid those horrible movies the child loves."

Ella's bright smile returned and she giggled, "Hey those movies are great! Don't be talkin' smack dude!"

Ella seemed to want to continue their conversation, but just then, Lucifer found the detective.

"Excuse me Miss Lopez," Lucifer said politely, brushing a light touch to her bicep as he walked past her.

Chloe was hurriedly spreading out appetizer platters and didn't seem to see him approach. He chuckled inwardly, as she was dressed in her holiday uniform: her father's ugly Christmas sweater and leggings that hugged her legs in all the right places.

"You really should keep all the dressing at the end of the line. You don't want anyone spilling spoonfuls of dressing into the entire salad." He pointed out.

Chloe's head snapped up. Her eyes softened when she realized who was standing over her. She huffed a laugh and agreed, "Yeah...that's not a bad idea I guess. Would you mind?"

"No, of course not," Lucifer breathed, just happy to have a moment with her on a night that was supposed to be _their_ night. He took the small bowls filled with assortments of dressings and moved them to the end of the spread.

Chloe smiled as she put the finishing touches on a white-gray dip. Lucifer leaned on the counter with one arm and crossed one leg in front of the other.

"I see your father's sweater made a reappearance this year," He pointed out.

Chloe glanced at him and smiled with a curt nod.

"Sorry I haven't come say hi yet," She sighed, "Hostessing isn't really my thing. I don't know why I even invited everybody over." She chuckled and shook her head.

"Nonsense," Lucifer amended, "The party's great. Food's delicious," He said as he popped a chip topped with French-onion dip in his mouth.

Chloe rolled her eyes but smiled. He smiled at the reaction. Even with everything they've put each other through, he's glad that he can still pull that reaction out of her.

He continued, "Good crowd too, minus my brother, and Daniel, and-"

He cut himself off before he could say, "The Lieutenant" because he knew that's who she was really trying to impress tonight. Oh well, the newest member of the L.A.P.D. didn't exactly seem like a relationship-type of person, so maybe, with some luck, he'll cut the detective loose, and then Lucifer can swoop in and comfort her. Maybe even get the chance to tell her how he feels.

Maybe.

There was something about Marcus Pierce that wasn't quite sitting right with Lucifer. He has impeccable people skills, and something just doesn't seem quite right about this new guy. Dr. Linda has tried telling him that he's just jealous that Chloe has feelings for Pierce, but Lucifer argued strongly that, "The devil does not get jealous. There is something _not right_ about Lieutenant Pierce and I'm _going_ to find out what."

Chloe looked up from her dip, "I'm glad Amenadiel could make it. Is there something going on...between him and Maze?" She asked.

Lucifer's brow furrowed. He looked across the room. His brother was nursing one of the detective's beers and staring longingly to the other side of the room. Following his gaze, he found Dr. Linda chit-chatting with the lying little urchin. Her eyes, however, kept darting over to the corner where Daniel was making heart eyes at Charlotte Richards whilst in the middle of a conversation. Lucifer found Mazikeen leaning against a wall near Linda and the urchin, flipping a knife between her fingers and eyeing the room warily. 

"Haven't the slightest." Lucifer supplied honestly.

Chloe shrugged and continued, "I'm really happy for Dan and Charlotte though. You know, I thought it was going to be awkward enough, having my ex-husband over for Christmas Eve when our thing is surviving his parents with Trixie on Christmas Day. _Then_ he asked if he could invite Charlotte. I wasn't going to say _no,_ but I guess I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, after everything that woman put us through."

Chloe paused and shook her head, seeming a little bit frustrated, "I'm sorry. I forgot that she's your step-mom."

For a moment Lucifer "forgot" that too. He was trying to put all of his mother's lies behind them and move on, especially now that Charlotte Richards has returned.

Chloe continued more light-heartedly, "I don't know. They seem good together. Hopefully him dating your step-mom isn't a buzz kill."

Lucifer nodded and followed the detective's gaze back over to Detective Douche and Charlotte. He smiled fondly, happy that Charlotte was gaining some normalcy back after the whole Mum debacle.

Just then, Pierce came up behind Lucifer and interrupted their moment, saying, "Hey Decker. Need any help?"

Oh, those bright blue eyes and award-winning smile with his brilliantly white teeth were making the detective melt. Lucifer could see it. He's known her long enough to know when she was falling. He's seen her make this particular face at him a few times. The one where her eyes seem to shine brighter and the soft smile of her luscious pink lips lights up her face perfectly. The one where, if he didn't know any better, he'd _swear_ she's an angel.

"Ah, nope. I think Lucifer and I have it covered. Thanks though." She responded and Lucifer threw a small party in his head that she chose him.

"Yeah sure," Pierce replied and moved to Chloe's other side, leaning with his elbow against the counter and pulling her attention away from the devil behind her.

He said something that made the detective laugh and Lucifer straightened up behind them, an affronted look adorning his face.

Pierce glanced his way as the detective took her turn at speaking and winked at Lucifer. _Winked_!

Lucifer was more than tempted to flash his red eyes in return, but he remembered that the still-illusive Sinnerman had stolen his devil-face and slapped on wack-a-mole wings, courtesy of Dear Ol' Dad. The pesky little buggers still grew back every time he cut them off.

_Here we are as in olden days. Happy golden days of yore. Loving friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more._

This Christmas Eve was turning out to be much more horrendous than Lucifer had imagined, even without the childish Christmas-themed movies.

Being that there were ten of them gathered for Christmas, somebody thought it would be a great idea to have a White Elephant gift exchange. Meaning that each person had to buy a present, valued under twenty dollars, without knowing who it's going to.

Chloe had given each person a number, one through ten, after everybody had finished picking at the appetizers. Everyone had set their gifts under the tree upon arrival. At some point, the detective had let her offspring shuffle the presents so that nobody would remember who brought what. Most of the night, the spawn had avoided a majority of the crowd by doing her task and Maze stayed right by her side. Leaving the child in charge of the gifts was probably a mistake on the detective's part because she inspected and shook _every single one_ to determine which one seemed to be "the best".

The detective had the living room furniture pushed to the sides to allow for more room for the guests to sit in a circle. Well, a circle-like-shape is what ended up happening. The detective, urchin, Maze (at the child's request), Miss Lopez, and Amenadiel sat in a semi circle. Detective Douche and Charlotte stood together near the spot where the detective and offspring were sitting. Lieutenant Pierce lounged against a wall with his arms crossed in front of his chest, his gaze fixed on the detective, although otherwise looking extremely bored. Dr. Linda moved to stand next to Lucifer, who stood as coolly and confidently as a stiff board could at a party.

She glanced up at him with that look she gives him when she wants him to talk, but he's deflecting. All the more reason to keep deflecting!

"Doctor! I don't believe I've gotten to talk to you much tonight. Seasons greetings!" He gave her his best charming-devil-nothing's-wrong smile. The brilliant doctor didn't buy it for a second. Her cocked eyebrow rose higher on her forehead and her lips pursed, her eyes staring up at him over her black-rimmed square glasses.

"I saw you with Chloe earlier," She stated when it became clear that he wasn't going to talk.

Lucifer scoffed and replied, "She's my...partner. It's not odd seeing us together."

Linda nodded her head slowly and continued, "And I've seen that new lieutenant with her a lot this evening."

Lucifer's lips closed into a tight line and he nodded. He began fiddling with his cuff-links just to have something to do with his hands.

"If you want to talk about it-" Linda began.

"We have a session after the New Year. If you still wish to drudge this up then, we can discuss it when I am paying you for your services." Lucifer replied harshly, his words stinging with every syllable. It wasn't that he thought that this was an inappropriate time to talk about how he felt about the detective and Pierce. It's just that he feels too much about them and he doesn't want the doctor to dissect his emotions in front of people he respects, even cares for. How weak would that make him look?

Linda backed off after his cold and hurtful words. He knew they probably hurt her, and he should apologize...but then the detective announced that it was time to start the game.

Charlotte had drawn card number one. She looked through the pile just for a bit before pulling out a small gift bag with a smiling cartoon reindeer on the front. She opened the gift to find a plastic high-heeled shoe. No...a tape dispenser. The group chuckled at the gift and Lucifer swore he saw Dan's cheeks turning red. Of course the precinct douche would pick out such a mundane gift. Poor Charlotte, she has no clue what she's getting herself into with that one. Unless Charlotte was a better liar than he previously assumed, he could've sworn that she actually _liked_ Dan's gift.

Chloe was next. Lucifer watched anxiously as the detective bent over the pile of nine gifts. Without going so far as to call it praying, he attempting to telepathically show her to his gift. Unfortunately, it didn't work. She picked up a small package wrapped in green paper with tiny characters on it, topped with a red bow. She opened the box and, at first, the gift was met with confusion, but then the detective tilted her head backward and laughed. She laughed so hard, she had to clutch her sides to ease her aching stomach. Miss Lopez started cackling similarly.

"Whadya get Mommy?" Trixie asked, trying to peek into the box. Chloe took the gift out of the box and held it up. Ella explained, "It's a social shower curtain!" She burst out laughing some more. "It's a profile page for your shower curtain! It even lets you put in your own profile picture!"

The explanation was met with chuckles from the rest of the group. Once Chloe had calmed down, she thanked Ella and called out, "Okay who's three?"

"Oh, ah, I am." Lucifer forced as much excitement as he could into his answer, though it didn't sound very convincing in his ears. Chloe smiled at him, her eyes still watery and bright from laughing at her social shower curtain. A small smile crawled up his face and he made his way to the dwindling pile of gifts. He looked specifically for something that seemed like the detective might have wrapped it. He found an ornate little box with plan red paper and silver ribbon topping it. This _must_ be it! He failed to notice a box with identical wrapping a foot away from it.

Lucifer tore off the red paper and opened the small box revealing...

"What is _this_?" He asked, lifting out the small object.

"It's an ornament I made in art class!" The urchin exclaimed, her normal excitement now returning, opposite to her uncharacteristic sadness from earlier.

"Ah," Lucifer responded, twirling the home-made ornament in his fingers. It was constructed with popsicle sticks that had been colored brown and glued together in a triangle. Two googly-eyes were glued parallel to each other on two of the sticks. At the bottom point of the ornament was a small red puff-ball. "Is it the misfit reindeer?" Lucifer ventured a guess.

"Yeah it's Rudolph!" Trixie beamed.

Lucifer turned to her, nodded, and said, "...Thank you, urchin."

She beamed with pride, even preened a little bit.

The game continued, with every person pulling out another silly gift.

Linda was fourth, receiving Pierce's gift of a variety of five-dollar gift cards.

Maze was fifth, reluctantly pulling out a free law consultation from a now-bashful Charlotte. The demon, forgetting her manners, rolled her eyes and shoved the slip of paper back in the bag.

Ella jumped into her turn, grabbing the small and thin box she'd had her eyes on all night. To her confusion - and slight terror - she pulled out a small dagger in a dark red and gold sheath. It's handle was wrapped in sleek black leather. Maze lifted her shoulder's with pride and clapped Ella (maybe a little too hard) on the back and said, "Now all my girls are protected."

Ella hesitantly chuckled and replied, "Gee, thanks girly. It's a very...thoughtful gift."

Lucifer rolled his eyes when Pierce cleared his throat and casually announced that it was his turn. He meandered over to the slim amount of gifts and looked each one over. Lucifer did his best to stifle a groan when Pierce picked up a black gift bag tied together with shiny red ribbon. He untied the ribbon and discarded the sheets of red tissue paper. Upon pulling out the gift, he feigned-joy, saying, "Oh! A vintage merlot. This'd be good for tomorrow. Thanks...whoever."

Now, it probably didn't take a genius to figure out who in the group had the money for a vintage wine and who's gift hadn't been received yet, but Lucifer didn't reply to his recipient's obviously strained thanks. He just grunted under his breath. To his left, he could hear Dr. Linda trying and failing to stifle a laugh.

Amenadiel went next, seemingly just as excited about this game as Trixie and Ella were. He picked out a box wrapped in silver paper and decorated with curled red ribbon. Tearing off the paper, he found a card game in a black box. He turned it over in his hands, his brow creasing as he tried to figure out what he had just opened.

"It's The Voting Game." Linda explained, "It's a card game for parties and you vote for which of your friends is most likely be whatever the card says."

Amenadiel smiled kindly and chuckled, "Sounds fun! Thank you, Linda."

"You're welcome," Linda said softly, her eyes lingering on Amenadiel longer than they probably should have. His gaze did the same. Maze shifted uncomfortably across the circle.

Maybe the detective was right. Was there something going on there? No, it can't be! Mazikeen doesn't get emotionally attached like that. Certainly not to someone so righteous as Amenadiel. Lucifer debated as he observed the awkward and heated glances being exchanged.

The child clambered over to the two leftover gifts as soon as it was evident that Amenadiel had finished his turn. She pulled out the widest bag in the once-pile and tore through the tissue paper. Her face fell when she pulled out several items wrapped in plastic. "What is it?" She asked meekly.

"It's shower supplies," Amenadiel spoke up. The child looked to the man with slight confusion, so he explained further, his tone becoming slightly more hesitant as he continued to speak, "Yeah, it's got soap and lotion with other wonderful aromas and...relaxing things for the bath."

Trixie let out a small "Oh," and then her mother nudged her so she amended with a forced, "Thanks Amenadiel."

Dan chuckled, clapped his friend on the shoulder and joked, "Don't worry, kiddo. You're in for cooler stuff tomorrow morning."

Trixie's smile brightened again at that.

Greedy little bugger she is, Lucifer thought. Although, Amenadiel is more likely to blame for his short bout of rudeness, seeing as he is a terrible gift-giver. Who in the room, besides him, would actually be excited about a shower gel arrangement? Maybe Daniel...but that's Daniel.

Speaking of, last and maybe somewhere near least according to Lucifer, Dan stepped up to retrieve the only gift left in the center.

It was wrapped similarly to the box Lucifer had grabbed during his turn. He mentally kicked himself for not seeing it. Dan removed the top and chuckled as he poked through the gift inside. "Who's is this?" He asked with a grin.

Chloe raised her hand sheepishly and laughed a small, "Mine,"

Dan's gaze met hers and he shook his head with a genuine smile, saying, "This is really cute, Chlo."

Chloe shrugged and dismissed his compliment with, "It's nothing really. Two dollars each from Walmart."

Dan lifted a small ornament out of the box, but it wasn't just any generic ornament; it was a detective, Sherlock Holmes specifically, clad in plaid from the hat down, a magnifying glass in one hand and a pipe in the other.

"That one's a detective, and there are two different cop ones in there to go with it," Chloe explained, a grin tugging at her mouth as an embarrassed blush colored her cheeks. "There's also a chemistry flask-thing, glasses, double swords, a gavel, an angel, an alien, and a flask."

"Something for each of us," Ella piped up, "That's _so_ sweet Decker!"

Chloe shrugged and waved her hand as if swatting the compliments away.

While the group began mingling again, Trixie tugged at the sleeve of her mom's sweater and loudly whispered, "You forgot to tell them about the switching rule!"

"Oh right! Thanks monkey." Chloe cleared her throat and regained everybody's attention.

"Sorry, there's one last part of the game I forgot. Everybody, in order of their numbers, gets the chance to swap once with someone else in the group if you want their gift. You don't have to if you like your present though. Just know that if you are one of the first to swap, you're not safe until number ten goes."

Excitement rippled through the crowd at the new rule and all eyes turned to Charlotte, seeing as she is number one.

"Sorry to disappoint," She started, "but I think I'm going to keep it." She stated, holding up the pump tape dispenser.

Typical, she and Daniel were in the disgusting honeymoon phase; no wonder why she was settling for the ten dollar "this'll do" gift. Not when there was so much better to be offered, Lucifer mentally grumbled.

"Okay, guess it's my turn then," Chloe said as she rose with her social shower curtain. Lucifer's heart began pounding in his chest as she made her way to the wall where Pierce was lounging and held out the gag gift with a flirty little smirk.

Marcus sighed and uncrossed his arms as he handed over the bag with the vintage wine. He sarcastically remarked, "What kind of rules make you swap a _much more expensive_ than agreed on bottle of wine for a profile page shower curtain?"

Their gazes lingered on each other during the exchange and Chloe chuckled, "Rules that assure that I get a super expensive wine for the third Christmas in a row." Her eyes drifted over to Lucifer for a second and she winked. He straightened up hopefully, a smile slowly making its way up his face and brightening it tremendously. She _wanted_ his gift! This had to be a good thing!

Chloe looked back at Pierce, her body language flirtatious and his just beginning to comply when she turned around with her wine and added, "Traditions, ya know?"

Both men watched her walk away and the room was oddly quiet, until Linda elbowed Lucifer in the ribs. 

"Ouch!" After composing himself, he cleared his throat with a, "Right," and was about to make his way over to Daniel. Certainly, the douche wouldn't decline an art project his spawn made in exchange for his ex-wife's gift.

For some unknown reason, his eyes met the child's before he could move too far. They held the same uncertainty and sadness before when she lied to him.

It pained him to do this, it really did, but deep down, he knew that there was a better way to handle the situation.

"I pass," He announced. The small human's eyes light up like, well, a Christmas tree, and she smiled at him with all of her growing adult teeth, her body bouncing slightly in excitement that he was keeping her present. He gave her a small, sideways smile and a polite nod.

The game continued with both Linda and Maze passing. Maze's reasoning being that not having to pay for a stupid human mediator might not be a bad thing to have in her back pocket for the future.

Miss Lopez swapped with Linda on her turn, giggling, "I _so_ want Lieutenant Pierce's gift cards!"

This meant that Linda was now in possession of Maze's dagger, of which the demon did not seem pleased.

Pierce decided to pass, probably to not hurt the detective's feelings. Good. If he ever did anything to hurt her, there would be Hell to pay. Lucifer would make sure of that.

Amenadiel passed.

Trixie took her turn as soon as the angel gave up his. She ran over to Ella and snatched the bag of gift cards out of her hands and laid the basket of shower gels at her feet. Ella put her hands on her hips and opened her mouth, her face contorting in disbelief. "Hey! Not cool Chiquita!"

Trixie shrugged and giggled as she returned to her spot next to her mom. "Sorry, rules are rules."

Deceptive little parasite. Lucifer felt quite proud of the little urchin.

Finally, Dan passed his turn, ending White Elephant.

_Through the years, we all will be together, if the fates allow. Hang a shining star upon the highest bough,_

The mingling continued. Lucifer tried to talk to the detective as much as possible, but she was enamored by Pierce for the rest of the evening. He had to get her attention somehow.

He took a drink of the scotch he and a few others had been served. It was no where near the quality of what he had at Lux, but it was still booze and the detective made him vulnerable to intoxication, so he let the taste slide this once.

Lucifer looked at his drink. That's it, he thought, feeling the need to land one final blow and sabotage Pierce's courting of the detective. Grabbing a metal knife from the counter, he tapped it to the side of his tumbler, making a loud clinking noise. While he did so, he called out, "Excuse me, pardon me, everyone may I have your attention?"

Somebody turned down Christmas music that was playing in the background and the chatting ceased.

Lucifer forced his best charming-devil grin onto his face and raised his glass.

"I want to propose a toast...to our lovely hostess, _my_ partner, Detective Chloe Decker."

Chloe blushed and smiled at him while the rest of the group clapped. While Lucifer had spoken to the entire room before, now his gaze was fixed only on Chloe.

"You have been a gracious hostess and party planner this evening, and you've more than earned our thanks for that, Detective...but, more importantly, thank you for bringing us together for the holidays. Dad willing, we will be able to celebrate next Christmas together as well."

He paused, sharing this small moment with his detective, their affectionate expressions reflecting each other's like an instinct. Suddenly, he realized that he had been quite for a while, so he cleared his throat and addressed the room once more, "Cheers...to Chloe." He finished reverently.

It was met with an array of "Cheers!" and clinking of glasses. Chloe nodded and smiled at him.

"That was so, _so_ sweet Lucifer!" Ella said, coming up behind him. "I really hope we can do this next year too! It's so easy with you guys, and it gives me a little bit of fun before all the family stuff tomorrow, am I right?" She added sarcastically and nudging him in the side.

"Oh... yes." Lucifer said distractedly. He hadn't meant that they should do this Christmas gathering again next year. He hoped that the detective, if not, maybe by some miracle her spawn, understood he meant for them to have _their_ Christmas next year.

***

"And have yourself a merry little Christmas, have yourself a merry little Christmas, have yourself a merry little Christmas...now," Lucifer sang his Christmas love song to the detective with all his heart. The end of the chorus climaxed with everything he had and he slowly brought it down gently, like a sweet good-night kiss, something he'd likely never give her.

He had stayed until after they had all played a round of Amenadiel's new game. Then the rest of the guests had left, and he was going to join them, but then the child begged him to read that Dad-awful poem again, so he stayed for a story and until she fell asleep. Finally, he bid the detective good night and was free to leave.

Lucifer left before he could see Marcus Pierce hang mistletoe over the door and give Chloe Decker the gentle and sweet good-night and Merry Christmas kiss that Lucifer had wanted to give her.

Lucifer raised the glass that was sitting on top of the piano and closed the lid with his other hand. He raised the glass, similarly to how he had last night and spoke softly into the empty room, "To you, Detective. Hope you're having a truly merry Christmas. You, of all people, deserve it."

And with that, he downed the rest of his glass, hoping for better days to come in the new year.

By God, was he wrong. 

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I'm sorry this is coming a day late; I got super side-tracked yesterday. I'm hoping to post the season 4 chapter today as well, just to get back on schedule. Thanks!


	4. Merry Christmas, Darling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a very angsty Christmas and definitely not what Chloe and Lucifer thought this year would look like. Chloe found out a few months ago that Lucifer is actually the devil, made that horrible decision to go to Rome, Eve ran away from the Silver City...and now it's Christmas Eve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date: December 24th, 25th (and a few days before), 2019
> 
> Location: Los Angeles, California
> 
> Based on the song: Merry Christmas, Darling: The Carpenters
> 
> P.S. I'm picturing this happening somewhere in the time jump between 4x5 and 4x6, so Leve is already established, but the incident with Ponyboy in the penthouse has not happened yet.

Chloe Decker slipped on her dad's old Christmas sweater after returning from a long morning of filling out pre-holiday paperwork.

She relieved the babysitter and left Trixie to binge her favorite Christmas movies.

It was only lunchtime, but she couldn't help but be excited for this evening. However, with the excitement came dread and regret. So much so that she felt merely a shell of her old self as she caught up on chores around the apartment that afternoon.

It was like Chloe was having an out-of-body experience. Her body was here, washing dishes and folding laundry but just the muscle memory of it.

Her mind was somewhere else. One second, it was in the hospital after Jimmy Barnes shot her. The next, it was on stakeouts with her new and annoying playboy of a partner. Then it skipped to the beach, the first time she had reached up and placed a gentle kiss to his lips. She'll never forget the shock on his face and the way he reverently said "Detective". Her mind glanced over all of their moments. Moments that had been amazing when they happened, but usually ended up being ruined by something; often times, something he did to try and understand her feelings. But every single time, no matter how much he hurt her, no matter how good his intentions were, she always gave him a second chance. She gave him several chances because she saw... _something_ in him. Something worth forgiving and trying for.

Finally, her mind wandered to Forest Clay's balcony, on the night Charlotte was killed. It was the night Lucifer figured out that, this entire time, Chloe never needed him. Whether it be as a coworker or an emotional partner, she had everything she needed inside of her. She _wanted_ him. This night was the second time she had stopped his rant about how he was unworthy of her. It was the second time she had reached up and kissed him, this time more desperately than the first. They were finally expressing to each other what they meant to one another. She was nearly prepared to tell him right then and there that she loved _him_.

Until everything good burned down around them, their peaceful moment of acceptance and hope on the balcony included. And Chloe literally means burned.

The last few months, it has been harder to see the handsome, smiling, stubbled, and dark featured face she's been accustomed to seeing at crime scenes, his penthouse, and her apartment at the most inappropriate and yet best moments. After years of working together, Chloe became excited to see him anywhere, under most circumstances. For the first few weeks after knowing the truth, she couldn't picture any of those favorite moments without seeing the ravaged and scarred face with those piercing red eyes, eyes that didn't belong to this world.

It wasn't until she came back from Rome and learned that he was still the man she had fallen in love with. He never lied to her. Maybe he deceived her a little bit, but not to the extent that she feared. She had done far worse to him because she thought it was the right thing to do. Chloe realized too late that she was so very wrong.

She had tried to make amends, but forgive was not something her partner did. Not easily at least. Not even for her, as far as she knows.

Now it was Christmas Eve and so much had changed since last Christmas.

Last year, all of their friends had sat in this same space and exchanged silly cheap gifts. They were laughing and joking and making toasts to a merry Christmas and a wonderful new year. Back then, she had been trying to get over her feelings for Lucifer -- after he didn't seem to want the same relationship she did -- by replacing him with someone that she thought could give her what she wanted.

In the five months following, her new friend, Charlotte Richards, had been murdered by her ex- fiancé. He, as it turned out -- after she came to her senses and broke up with him -- was a serial murderer and illusive criminal mastermind, the Sinnerman. When she, Dan, Ella, and Lucifer teamed up to put a stop to him, Lucifer had tried to tell her the whole truth, but she had thought he was just being crazy and using metaphors. Hell, _everyone_ thought he was crazy.

Then, she shot her ex-fiancé in self defense and her ordered her death in reply. Somehow, she had ended up on a rooftop in a building next to the loft, along with a trail of large and blood-stained white feathers.

It was then that Chloe realized that she had been ignoring the biggest truth in the universe. She denied it because it couldn't be true. It just _couldn't_ be. At that moment, no matter what, she loved her partner, and she needed to make sure he was okay.

She stormed back into that loft and called out for him.

It felt like everything stopped the moment she saw the scene in front of her: time, the world, her brain, and her heart.

Pierce was dead on the floor with one of Maze's blades - one she recognized from being in her home - in the middle of his chest. She saw his killer crouched over him. Chloe recognized the expensive black suit, as it had been the one Lucifer was wearing that day. He crouched over Pierce's body with his head dipped down. Her gut told her that it was him crouching over Pierce. Lucifer was alive and all right.

But when he stood and turned around at the sound of her voice, it wasn't her partner at all, but a monster. He said the nickname he called only her with Lucifer's voice. Chloe could only say one phrase in reply over and over again until the police stormed in.

"It's all true."

Then she had messed everything up by thinking with her brain and not her heart.

_Greeting cards have all been sent. The Christmas rush is through, but I still have one wish to make, a special one for you. Merry Christmas, darling._

At work a few days ago, she, Lucifer, and Ella were sitting around her desk while Chloe attempted to focus on her paperwork.

The conversation landed on what it was most of the time now a days: Lucifer's and Eve's extra curricular activities.

Chloe had lied and told Lucifer many times that hearing about his relationship with Eve didn't bother her. Why on Earth had she done that? Because she wanted him to stick around that's why. She was trying to make amends for her actions and wanted things to go back to the way they were.

Try as she might, every time he excitedly told them about the latest...sexipade, Chloe wanted to shutter and vomit a little. Not only was it highly inappropriate to talk about in your place of work, but she found what they were doing disgusting; sneaking into public places after closing just to fulfill some kind of kink!

Ella wanted details from every single story and Lucifer was more than willing to give them. Chloe never let her real emotions and reactions show, but that's because she was jealous. She knew that if Lucifer were with her, she wouldn't be into breaking into a theater or something and fucking not only him, but the entire cast of Circ de Soleil. He wouldn't be as happy as he his now, retelling these stories. if he was with her having nonadventerous sex.

Somehow, the sex conversation segued into Christmas plans. How it had ended up there, Chloe still can't figure out. Ella had mentioned not having much to do until family dinner on Christmas Day with church not being in the plans anymore. Honestly, Chloe was really concerned for her. This crisis of faith had been going on for a few months now, and it was strange, Ella not going to church for one of the holiest days of the year.

Lucifer invited her over to Lux for Christmas Eve or something like that. Then he mentioned something along the lines of a Very Naughty North Pole upstairs in the penthouse afterward with Eve, and Chloe tuned out.

"What're your Christmas plans Decker?" Ella asked will sipping some coffee from the mug with many pictures of her face on it.

"Hmm?" Chloe came back to attention after forcing herself to focus on the paperwork.

"Christmas plans?" Ella asked again.

"Oh," Chloe stammered, tapping her pen on the side of her desk, and actively trying to avoid Lucifer's gaze. "Uh, probably not much. Just...hanging out with Trixie on Christmas Eve and then Dan and his parents on Christmas Day. Same as usual."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lucifer's shoulders slump a little and his head lower slightly.

She kept talking, "Yeah, Dan's been having a really rough time since Charlotte and everything so, we'll probably have some quiet family time."

"Aww, that sounds really nice," Ella smiled. Chloe tried to return it, but it felt too forced. She dared a glance at Lucifer. He had disdain he may have been feeling, perching himself on the corner of her desk with his legs crossed and hands folded over his knees. His expression wasn't any near as delighted or enthusiastic as it was a few minutes ago though.

"At least you guys have a small family and don't need to start freaking World War Three over who's hosting, who's bringing what, and when." Ella shuddered and sipped some more of her coffee.

At the end of that day, Chloe had finished most of her paperwork and followed up on one apparent dead end with Lucifer. As she shrugged on her jacket and logged off her computer, he was about to turn around and leave when Chloe stopped him.

"Hey," He turned around at the sound of her soft call, his eyes bright, "If I don't see you in the next couple days, tell Eve I said Happy Holidays."

She was proud of herself for being the bigger person here. He chuckled and an amused grin crawled up his face. It wasn't a mocking one but more playful.

"Thank you Detective, I will."

Then something dawned on Chloe and she felt all the blood drain from her face while her stomach tied up in knots. She rubbed her temple with her middle fingers and groaned.

"Oh. My-" She stopped herself when she saw his eyes start to roll. "I'm sorry. It's just hitting me. The connection between...you and this holiday," She laughed humorlessly and motioned toward him aimlessly with her right hand.

Lucifer returned it with a genuine and soft smile, not scolding her for any phrasing. Instead, he said, "Or lack thereof."

Chloe smiled a little wider and laughed, "Right."

They stood in silence for a moment, just smiling and laughing. This was probably the first conversation between them about his real identity that hasn't gone horribly wrong or awkward since she returned from Rome. It was nice.

"Look, I-I'm really sorry about putting you through three Christmases with my family. You probably hated it, and I'd hate for you to feel obligated to-"

Lucifer stopped her, "Detective, I never feel obligated to spend time with you." He said it so gently and sincerely that it made Chloe's heart swell a little bit with hope. "Do you really think that if hated spending the holidays with you and your offspring that I would've come every year?"

He raised an eyebrow at her and she shook her head, fidgeting with her fingers as she replied, "No, I guess not."

He smiled softly and turned to leave, but she stopped him again.

"It's just that," She called, fidgeting with her hands some more as he turned back around. She sighed in exasperation and continued, "If I had known, I wouldn't have put you through that. I'm sorry if it was awkward."

A small grin tugged at the corners of his lips and he reassured her, a bit of sadness darkening his eyes, "Its not your fault. You didn't know."

She took a deep breath and maintained eye contact with him. His silent "And that's on me" lingered unspoken in the air between them.

"Detective, please don't feel indifferent to having me over for Christmases. Honestly, it was a nice change of pace for me. I...I've never done that before, as I told you the first time. Of course, your spawn's choice in films were horrendous every year, but..."

He stopped and Chloe could see him putting up emotional walls instead of telling her what he really meant. "It was definitely interesting to experience."

Chloe nodded and let him have his macho I-don't-feel-any-emotions moment.

Lucifer turned around one last time and headed toward the stairs leading outside the precinct.

A funny little memory from three years ago popped into her head and made her laugh, so she called after him, not caring who around her heard, "So, wait... _does_ the devil celebrate Hanukah?"

He didn't turn around, but she could see his shoulders move as if he were chuckling. As Lucifer rounded the corner of the stairs, she saw a playful smirk on the one side of his face.

"Good night Detective." He called back sarcastically.

"Night," She said softly, more to herself now that he was out of ear-shot.

_We're apart, that's true, but in my dreams I'm Christmasing with you. Holidays are joyful. There's always something new. But every day's a holiday when I'm near to you._

The sun had now set in L.A. and Chloe was watching Elf with Trixie.

She noticed that her daughter was not engaged in the movie and kept sneaking glances at her phone.

Chloe sighed. She should have known this day would come; the day that Trixie was more interested in what her friends and the masses on social media were doing instead of hanging out with her mom.

"Who're you texting monkey?" Chloe tried to ask innocently.

Trixie quickly turned her phone over on the couch and replied, "No one," way too hastily for it to be no one.

Chloe turned her head and looked at her with her best practiced mom-glare.

After a few seconds, Trixie caved and sighed, sounding more ashamed than anything else, "Lucifer."

Lucifer? Chloe fully turned toward Trixie and calmly asked, "Baby, why are you bugging Lucifer?"

"I'm not bugging him!" Trixie defended. Chloe reactivated the mom glare to get her kid to spill. She secretly loved that her little power worked every single time.

Trixie took a deep breath and spilled, "I was just telling him Merry Christmas and that I...I kinda miss him."

Chloe paused the movie at the part where Buddy was decorating the department store in the middle of the night.

She wrapped one arm around Trixie and pulled her in close. "Anything you want to talk about?" She offered.

Trixie bit her lip hesitantly for a moment before admitting, "It's just...so much is different this year. Charlotte and Marcus are gone, we went on vacation for a month, Maze left, and now I really don't see Lucifer anymore. How come he didn't want to come over for Christmas? It's what we do every year!"

Trixie was getting pretty upset and Chloe knew it was all her fault. She had drastically changed her little girl's life too much in the past year, and she is way too young for that.

"I know, baby," Chloe tried to console her, "But...Lucifer has a new girlfriend now and they're pretty serious, so I figured he'd want to spend Christmas with her." She paused and then added, "It's nice that you reached out to him though. Just...don't make him feel guilty for not coming."

"Did you and Lucifer have a fight or something?" Trixie quietly asked.

Her clever little monkey. There wasn't much Chloe could keep from her any more, which proved tricky when she was trying to keep her daughter safe or figure things out for herself first.

Chloe rubbed Trixie's head and sighed, "Or something."

Trixie groaned and asked sarcastically, "Adult stuff?"

Chloe chuckled and nodded, "Yeah Trix, it's adult stuff."

"I hate that answer." Trixie grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest in a pout. "It's what you and Daddy used to say before,"

Chloe sighed and felt the fresh sting of tears in her eyes, but she took a deep breath to hold them in. Chloe pulled her stubborn little girl in for a hug, "I know you do monkey. It's complicated though. Mommy barely understands it."

After a pause, Chloe decided to extend an olive branch, and also make sure Lucifer was censoring himself around her ten year old, so she lightly asked, "Did Lucifer say what he's up to tonight?"

Trixie shrugged, a flash of uncertainty crossing her face. "Kinda. He's with his new girlfriend at Lux. He started to tell me something about the fun Naughty List, but then said that you wouldn't like it if he told me too much."

Chloe sighed with relief, grateful that Lucifer remembered.

The girls finished their movie night and unhealthy dinner, and before long, Trixie's eyelids were drooping as she struggled to stay awake. Chloe walked her little girl over to her bedroom and tucked her in, giving her a good-night kiss.

"But we didn't read Night B'fore Christmas." Trixie mumbled sleepily.

Chloe soothingly stroked her daughter's hair and whispered, "It's okay monkey. Just go to sleep," and Trixie did right away.

_The lights on my tree, I wish you could see. I wish it everyday. Logs on the fire fill me with desire to see you, and say that I wish you a Merry Christmas. Happy New Year too. I've just one wish on this Christmas Eve. I wish I were with you._

Explicit remixes of Christmas songs and multicolored strobe lights caught the attention of every by-passer and driver on Sunset Boulevard that Christmas Eve. Their attention didn't hold for long though because, it is Hollywood after all, what do you expect, normalcy? That, plus the fact that everyone knew that the penthouse above the nightclub Lux belonged to the infamous Lucifer Morningstar. Whatever was going on up there was probably much more interesting than any family-get-together most people were partaking in this evening.

Inside the penthouse, however, probably couldn't be imagined by any curious human mind unless they were actually there.

This had to be the orgy of the century. Alcohol and drugs of all types were in never-ending supply and sexual fantasies being realized left and right. (The activities taking place extend to a darker part of the imagination that the author of this story isn't comfortable exploring beyond the previous statement.)

For Lucifer, the party had done its job of keeping him good and distracted tonight. He was happy being in the arms of someone who respected and liked him for who he was, not expecting him to change, just to give her adventure.

Then he made the regrettable decision of glancing down at his cell phone. Okay, maybe not regrettable because most of his guests were in want of some munchies and the teenager with forty-five large pizzas (who might need to call if there's an issue) should be arriving any moment now (and if history is any indicator, they would be staying for the rest of the evening).

There was one new text message waiting on his lock screen.

**Urchin** : Hi Lucifer. I just wanted to wish u a Merry Christmas. U haven't been around a lot & I just hope ur having a good night. 🙂

He sighed and smoothly untangled himself from the pile of humans he was tangled up in, grabbing his cell phone and pants as he walked toward the elevator.

"Hey!" Eve called after him, "Where ya goin'?"

Lucifer smiled at her as if he had not a care in the world. "Just checking on the food darling! Be right back, I promise."

He called the elevator and stepped inside as Eve went right back into a "game" with a group of mid-twenty somethings.

Pondering and typing out his words for a moment, he finally had a brief message ready to be sent as soon as he stepped onto the main floor of his club, shirtless and shoeless, but nobody seemed to have minded. In fact, seeing him shirtless was probably the best Christmas gift some of the patrons were getting this year.

He walked into the foyer of the club, waiting for the pizza delivery, and pressed send.

**Lucifer:** Hello offspring. Wishing you the same. Yes, it's been quite a while, hasn't it?

She responded almost immediately, and the conversation continued from there.

**Urchin** : I'm watching elf w/ mommy & having pizza. Whatcha doin?

**Lucifer** : We're in the mood for pizza as well Spawn. Good choice 😉. Just having a get-together of the Naughty Lists's most enjoyable. I'd clue you in on the details further but I'd lay money on your mother coming to decapitate me if I did.

That much was true. The detective's offspring was very clever and more intelligent than most human spawn he's met. He's sure she could figure out what was going on upstairs without him spelling it out for her. Then the detective wouldn't have reason to be furious with him.

**Urchin** : Can I tell u a secret?

Lucifer chuckled.

**Lucifer** : You should know by now that I'm like a magnet for dirty little secrets.😈

**Urchin** : I miss having u around here. I like hanging out w/ mom but u & maze made it so much fun! Everything's so different now & I don't like it.

Lucifer sighed and stared at her latest message for a while. His heart seemed to sink into his stomach. He felt the exact same way she was feeling. This feeling was actually the reason for the party upstairs. He had been telling himself that revealing his true nature to the detective was for the best, even if it was an accident; there were no secrets between them now. He just had no idea that this big of a wedge could have been driven between them.

Just then, a pimply teen boy walked up with a car full of pizzas.

"Ah yes! Finally!" Lucifer tipped the boy and showed him the way up to the penthouse, welcoming him to stay for the party after his multiple trips back to his car.

Lucifer was about to head back up and join the boy and the rest of the party in the wonderful distraction, but something wasn't sitting right within him. It was like there was an urchin-sized weight sitting on his chest that he couldn't quite shake. Then he realized what he was forgetting.

Letting out a long and defeated breath, he ducked into a storage closet and recorded a three minute message. It physically pained him to know that he had the bloody thing memorized.

After doing so, he decided to send a quick message of good (dare he say) faith to the detective.

**Lucifer** : Merry Christmas darling 😏😈🎅🏼

To his astonishment, she responded before he reached the elevator.

**The Detective:** Merry Christmas :)

***

When Trixie Espinoza woke up on Christmas morning, the first thing she did - out of habit - was check her phone. There was a voice message from Lucifer on there that she must've missed when she fell asleep during the movies last night.

She pressed play and snuggled back into her bed, hugging Miss Alien close to her chest.

Trixie heard an intake of breath and finally Lucifer's crisp British accent, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."

Trixie squealed with delight. He remembered their story! And she didn't even ask him to read it! The best Christmas present Trixie received was knowing that one of her best friends still cared about her, even though he was fighting with her mom.

"The stockings all hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there."

She was smiling so wide, her cheeks were beginning to hurt. It felt wonderful to know, deep in her heart, no matter what happened, she and Lucifer would always be friends. Maybe he'd stop fake-not-liking her in a few years when she isn't a kid anymore.

"The children were nestled all safe in their beds while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads."

Trixie giggled at the way he pronounced all the words. His voice just made the poetry sound sweeter. She would probably listen to this recording for _days_ just because of how happy it made her.

A few minutes later, the recording ended after he called, "Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!"

Trixie sent him a thank you text and ran upstairs to wake up her mom. She wasn't about to keep those presents waiting any longer!

_The logs on the fire fill me with desire to see you and say that I wish you a Merry Christmas. Happy New Year too. I've just one wish on this Christmas Eve. I wish I were with you. I wish I were with you._

_Merry Christmas, darling._

_To be continued..._


	5. Please Come Home for Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you thought the last chapter was rough...good luck reading this one. This is my kind of a "5A" (written before it aired), mostly from Chloe's perspective, and during Christmas after Lucifer has gone back to Hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date: December 25th, 2020
> 
> Location: Los Angeles, California
> 
> Based on the song: Please Come Home for Christmas: The Eagles

The doorbell rang and Amenadiel ran to answer it. Upon opening it, he found a beaming Trixie with a handful of presents in her arms. Standing behind her, looking very brave and trying her hardest to keep it together, with a cheese and salami tray in one hand, was Chloe.

"Hey," Amenadiel smiled. "Welcome! Come on in," He stood aside and let the girls enter.

"Where should I put these?" Trixie asked about the presents as she kicked her shoes off.

"Under the tree's great." Amenadiel stated as he shut the door behind Chloe.

"Merry Christmas Chloe," He said softly as he brought her in for a hug and placed a platonic kiss on her cheek.

"Merry Christmas Amenadiel." She returned with a bit less cheer.

"Think you guys are the lasts ones," He commented. "Everyone's either in the kitchen or in the nursery with Charlie."

Chloe handed her tray to Amenadiel, dropped her head, and fussed with her jacket and mumbled, "Everyone?"

Amenadiel pretended not to hear her. She was doing her best for her daughter tonight. He knew that the last seven months had been especially difficult for Chloe. There are things that Chloe deserves to know, secrets that Amenadiel is keeping, but there never seems to be a good time to tell her.

Amenadiel followed behind Chloe to the kitchen where Linda was putting out food with Dan's help.

Linda and Chloe exchanged hugs and greetings. It was good seeing the friends in such a good place. Linda had expressed her worries about Chloe to Amenadiel before. Chloe had been spending a good amount of time with Maze lately. Most of the time, they weren't Tribe gatherings either. Maze would take Chloe out and get wasted, probably to flip off a certain friend who was no longer with them and hurt both of them deeply, or even something just as simple as forgetting about the pain for a while.

Everyone had become accustomed to not saying _his_ name around Chloe. It no longer sparked the hopeful, sometimes even humored irritation, it used to. The first couple of months, Chloe would wall herself off at the mention of his name, becoming short tempered and throwing herself into work. Now, seven months after the battle at the Mayan, her walls would struggle to stay up and tears threatened to fall at the mention of her partner's name. Her friends witnessed her going about her day a shell of the force of nature she once was, and it killed them. Linda had, in passing, theorized to Amenadiel that the holidays made her strength especially difficult to maintain, what with their history and traditions.

While Chloe helped her ex-husband and friends set up dinner, the conversations became increasingly awkward. See, because Chloe either spent all of her time nowadays with Maze at a bar or catching criminals at work, she hadn't gotten to catch up with those she cared about on a regular basis. They all laughed and shared memories, Amenadiel and Dan exchanging private jokes from their improv days, and Linda and Amenadiel gushing over Charlie, as parents do, and all the milestones he's been reaching. Chloe had to ask for clarification and details many times, and she seemed embarrassed, having to ask her friends all of these questions that she, as Auntie Chloe, should know.

In the other room, Maze, Ella, and Trixie played with Charlie and the new toys he had gotten from Santa Claus this morning.

The baby was dressed in a red and grey sweater with a picture of Rudolph on the front, khaki pants, and gray socks. His dark and curling hair was growing fast and was currently reaching down over the collar of his sweater.

"Linda won't cut it," Maze explained, "Says it's too cute to chop this early. I mean, if she wants her kid to look like a girl, that's fine by me. We could use more girls around here, but he's gonna be a pretty silly warrior when he's older if he never cuts his hair."

Ella rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Maze! It's fine. She'll cut it eventually."

She raised her tone and baby-spoke and she tickled his sides, "Someone's quite the charmer isn't he? Yes. Whose the handsomest? You are!"

Charlie giggled.

"He's _so_ cute," Trixie cooed.

Maze pursed her lips and flung one arm around Trixie's shoulders. "I can use that. Kinda like you. Nobody expects you to be a badass cause of how cute you are, Little Human. It's pretty gross but a great camouflage."

Trixie folded her arms across her chest and nodded at Maze in agreement. Maze raised one fist to her and Trixie bumped it.

_Bells will be ringing, the glad - glad news. Oh what a Christmas to have the blues. My baby's gone, and I have no friends to wish me greetings once again. Oh, crowds will be singing Silent Night, Christmas carols by candlelight._

The group sat down at a table set with Christmas dinner. It looked amazing! The turkey Linda had been slaving over all day smelled divine. Potatoes, cranberries, vegetables, stuffing, and rolls adorned the sides of the bird and made mouths water.

"Everything smells terrific Linda!" Ella complimented as she sat down in between Maze and Dan. 

"Oh thanks," Linda grunted, struggling to put a fussy Charlie in his high chair that sat in between her chair and Amenadiel's.

"Anyone want wine?" Maze called from the kitchen. It was returned with yes's from all of the adults. Knowing that her parents didn't want their kid drinking booze, for some reason until she was freaking twenty-one, Maze pulled out a soda for Trixie.

"Uh, I'll pour my own," Chloe smirked at Maze, "You pouring me drinks is dangerous."

Maze smirked back and handed the bottle to Chloe, "No, me pouring you drinks brings out the fun Decker. Like," Maze snorted as she cracked up, "Remember last night when-"

Chloe cleared her throat and dipped her head down. Maze slowly stopped laughing with some not-so-smooth coughs. Ten pairs of eyes looked at the two women expectantly.

"Did you guys do something after I went to bed?" Trixie asked as she opened her can of soda with a click.

"N-not really monkey." Chloe replied awkwardly, sipping her wine.

That was a half-truth. After Trixie had gone to bed last night, Chloe and Maze broke open a really expensive bottle of tequila and Maze filled her in on all of the historical myths and legends, religions, and actual facts she and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had...finagled with...during their trips to Earth. The stories had taken all night, and she didn't even get to the many times when he was on Earth by himself.

All of this had ended up with Chloe and the toilet being best frenemies at six a.m., teaching her that maybe a few more cookies and a little less devil's water would be less consequence-heavy next time. She had actually spoken this revelation out loud to the demon that was holding her hair back. Chloe laughed until she cried. Then she just cried, sobbing and screaming like her insides were being yanked out of her until she threw up again and passed out on the bathroom floor, cursing his name for tainting her memories and destroying her. In the morning, Maze made sure Trixie was distracted with presents while Chloe got some much needed sleep.

Chloe imagined what he would say, if he were sitting next to her, " _Taking a page out of the devil's playbook, are we Detective? Mmm,_ _Lucifer likes.'"_ while leaning in close to her ear, whispering sweet nothings until she called him out on his inappropriate behavior in front of their friends, even though she knew that he knew she enjoyed it. She would shut him up by promising him Naughty List action in the car while they "grabbed something they forgot".

Chloe smiled and chuckled to herself at the thought while Maze continued pouring wine for everyone else. The familiar gaunt expression returned to her face when she realized that Lucifer (who Maze code-named and others just omitted from speech) _wasn't_ sitting next to her. She was at the end of the table, her nearest neighbor being her daughter. He wasn't here, celebrating the holidays with them and making inappropriate comments because he was down _there_ making sure that demons were in line and that those gathered around this table were safe.

A smothering silence laid over the room while Linda fed Charlie before the rest of them ate, everyone else confused by Chloe's and Maze's exchange and silently fearing the worst for their once so stubborn and goal-oriented friend.

Dan clapped his hands together and put on an excited grin, "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm famished."

Ella moaned, "Ugh, amen to that!"

Amenadiel chuckled and sat at the head of the table, "By all means, please, eat."

They all tucked in and ate, right after clinking their glasses together in cheers, wishing one another a Merry Christmas. It was actually mind-blowing, for as close as this family seemed to be, everyone (with the ability to talk) was keeping secrets from each other, each one of them deciding that their individual bomb shells could wait until after Christmas. The past few years had been so dramatic and took an emotional and physical toll on all of them; it was like there was a mental, unspoken understanding to let them have today; just one holiday without any hardships.

_Please come home for Christmas. Please come home for Christmas. If not for Christmas, by New Year's night._

After dinner was finished and Charlie was put to bed by Linda and Trixie, everyone gathered around the television to watch the all-time classic and decided favorite among the humans in the room: It's A Wonderful Life.

When Linda came back, people were still milling around, so she sat next to Chloe on the couch. Chloe had been there for a while, silent and fiddling with the sleeves of her top, her newly-turned brown hair falling over her face.

"Hey," Linda said softly, sitting sideways to face her friend.

"Hi," Chloe half-smiled.

Linda sighed, "Chloe...you know that I'm here for you. Whatever you need. Right?"

Chloe shook her head with a spiteful grin, "Yep. Yep I know."

Linda continued, hearing the sarcasm in her friend's voice and knowing that she's been going through hell recently. No pun intended. "Look, I know that the last few months have been so tough on you. They've been tough on all of us,"

Chloe picked her head up and seemed to stare through the wall in front of her, her leg anxiously bouncing.

"As your friend," Linda audibly exhaled, "The signs I'm seeing from you aren't good. The hair cut, the drinking, the more...introverted behavior," She paused and then peered at Chloe over her glasses, her tone was serious, but her heart ached for her friend, "You need help."

Chloe turned to face Linda, not keeping her voice down any longer and her gaze cold. "Do I? Is that what I _need_ Linda?"

All eyes turned toward the source of the yelling, conversations dulling to a hush and then silence.

"Chloe please," Linda continued to speak softly, staring her down like a bull staring down a matador, even though her cheeks were burning with heat.

"No!" Chloe fought. "And, how the _hell_ have these last few months been tough on everybody else? I get it. Everybody deals with their own shit, but you know what? My world turned freaking upside down and got ten times worse before it even started to get a little bit better." She laughed mirthlessly, rising from her seat and addressing the rest of the room, "And then, just as I was getting where I want to be, _just_ as we finally told each other how we felt, he leaves. HE _LEAVES_!" Chloe bellowed, making Linda and Ella flinch.

"Chloe-" Dan intervened.

"Shut up Dan!" Chloe cried. "I don't want to hear how much of dick he always was, or how he's left me before and married a stripper and he's just off doing it again." She slowly made her way toward her ex, stalking him like prey and pointing an accusatory finger at him. Dan remained calm, standing his ground, his arms crossed in front of him and letting her lash out at him. All the while, having this look of disappointment in his eyes. 

"And I don't want to hear for the _ten millionth_ time how he's responsible for Charlotte's death. You don't know the first damn thing about him, but you did a real number on his mental state last year, Detective Douche!"

Dan looked up at her, her eyes and facial expression as furious as the Pacific during a hurricane, all her rage releasing at once and on him. He remained stoic as he tilted his head and pointed with his eyes behind her, clearing his throat.

"What?" She wasn't screaming like she was before, but it was evident how angry she still was.

Chloe turned around, unruly locks of hair catching on her face and tangling with her bangs. She gasped as terror and recognition set in. Her stomach seemed to have dropped out of her at some point, maybe around the same time her heart made its way into her throat.

Trixie was standing in the hallway after watching the baby until he fell asleep. Now, she was trembling, her watery eyes flitting back and forth between her mother and father.

"Trixie I-" Chloe started, now calm, but Trixie didn't want to hear it. She whimpered and covered her eyes with her elbow as she ran out of the house.

"Trixie!" Chloe and Dan called together, racing toward the front door.

" _No._ " Maze beat them there and blocked their exit. She held a peaceful hand out in between them, her body already turning toward the direction the girl had run.

Dan nodded and Maze raced off. He touched Chloe lightly on the arm, but she startled like a deer and tried to race out the door after Maze and her daughter. Dan had no problem being a bit more stubborn.

He stepped in front of the door so that Chloe couldn't get to the knob, or out for that matter, and closed it with his foot.

She growled, "What're you doing Dan? Let me go get my daughter! I need to apologize!"

" _Our_ daughter," Dan clarified, slightly breathless. That got Chloe's attention. She stopped fighting him. "And I know you want to apologize, but just...give her some space. Okay?"

A sob caught in Chloe's throat as she backed away from the door.

All of the commotion stirred Charlie and he started wailing in his room. Linda huffed and went to soothe her son.

Ever stoic and kind Amenadiel gently took Chloe by the shoulders and led her back to the living room couch. He didn't care that she had just disrespected him and Linda in their own home by lashing out. He didn't care that she had scared her daughter with her yelling. He didn't care that she had woken up his son. Chloe was his friend and the love of his troubled brother's life, and she was in pain. Chloe Decker was suffering through something so immense that none of them would be able to put it into words even if they tried. Amenadiel had a temper, yes, and it could easily be flaring right now, but Chloe needed her friends, not a scolding.

Ella, who had silently watched the exchange from the kitchen the entire time, sprang into caring-mode and met Amenadiel and Chloe on the couch with tissues and a glass of water.

"Shh shh," Ella cooed, handing an anguished Chloe a tissue and gently bringing her into her own arms. Chloe cried into Ella for what seemed like forever. The boys didn't know what to do or how to fix this except to sit there and wait it out. Amenadiel already tried fixing things a month ago, but it didn't work.

Ella didn't care how long it took. Someone she considered her sister was tormented beyond belief by someone she thought she had something real with. Heck, Ella thought they were real, like fairy-tale romance, created by God for each other _real_. She was wrong, she guessed. She didn't know why Lucifer left because nobody seemed to want to talk about it.

Ella enclosed her embrace by lowering her chin to Chloe's shaking shoulder, covering Chloe's body with her own.

"Shh, it's okay, you're safe now. I've got you." She whispered. Chloe didn't verbally respond, but Ella felt her tighten up and move closer into her. Ella held on, assuring her physically that she was among friends, in a safe place, where she could cry and express whatever she was feeling with people who love her and wouldn't judge her or run away.

Amenadiel took to rubbing Chloe' back and that seemed to help her into a rhythm that was akin to the normal breathing tempo. Dan sat on the edge of the seat of the arm chair next to the couch, his hands folded in between his knees as he waited patiently for his ex-wife to calm down.

"G-god, I-I t-tell," Chloe sobbed, trying to sit up and speak.

"Here", Ella said softly, reaching for the glass she had set on the table and handing it to Chloe, "Drink some water."

Chloe complied and took slow sips, calming herself down and catching her breath.

When she felt well enough, she admitted, "First, I tell him that I wanted to talk about us getting together, and he ran off to Vegas and married a stripper,"

Ella frowned. She knew what the real story behind the whole Candy-fiasco was, but it wasn't her place to tell Chloe the truth.

"Then I tell him that I love him and he flies off to Hell." She finished bitterly.

Ella tensed and moved to sit on her feet, "Wait, you told Lucifer you _love_ him?" She beamed, pulling Chloe in for another hug and saying the forbidden name for the first time in front of Chloe in months. "I mean, I figured you loved him for a long time, and it explains why you're so broken up, but I didn't know you told him! Jeez, that's absolutely...disgusting on his part though to just leave you after you spill your heart to him. Did he say it back?" Her brightness dimmed as she realized what must've happened after Chloe bore her heart to him. Ella completely ignored that part about Hell.

Chloe shrugged and hiccupped before replying, "N-not exactly. He said, 'My first love was never Eve. It was you Chloe. Always has been.'"

With that, she finished her water.

"That sounds like typical Luci though," Amenadiel said, his voice deeper than normal. His tone rose just a bit as he explained, "He feels so much. That's what Linda has been helping him with. He feels...but he doesn't know how to express them in a way that's healthy or articulate them coherently. I don't want to speak for my brother, Chloe, but I think he really _does_ love you, more than anything. He's just scared that if he admits that out loud, _truly_ , that somebody will take you away from him. Father, probably. Him leaving was on his own terms, and definitely not because he's afraid of you loving him. He's afraid of loving you and you paying the consequence for that. The only thing that I know to be true...is that leaving you was the hardest thing he ever had to do in his entire existence."

Chloe listened intently to Amenadiel's speech, looking him in the eye and nodded along, the beginning of a smile tugging at her lips. She didn't know how he knew this, but it felt good for now.

Dan and Ella were completely lost by their friend's words, but if it made Chloe feel better, that's all that mattered.

Christmas was already ruined, but just like the unspoken and unknown pact from earlier, the secrets could wait another day.

_Friends and relations, send salutations as sure as the stars shine above. But this is Christmas, yeah Christmas, my dear. It's the time of year to be with the one you love._

Maze returned with Trixie shortly after Chloe had calmed down. Kneeling down to her daughter's level, Chloe apologized for her outburst, explaining that she didn't mean to scare her and there was no good reason for her to act like she did. To her relief, Trixie flung her arms around her neck and held on, burying her head into her mother's hair. Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around her daughter's small back.

"I forgive you, Mommy. I know you're mad at Lucifer and sad that he's gone. I am too."

"Still," Chloe tried to keep her voice steady, "I shouldn't have lost control like that."

Trixie let go, her face scrunched up like it does when she's pondering something, "Do you remember when Lucifer took me to that fancy school, and you heard me talking about how I felt about your job?"

Chloe smiled and nodded, "Yeah babe, I do."

"Well," Trixie started, her voice cracking a little, "You told me that I could talk to you about anything, and you and me don't keep secrets from each other."

Chloe nodded again, "I did say that."

Trixie started to cry again, clearly still distressed by the situation "So why didn't you talk to me about how bad you were hurting? Or any friends? Keeping it all in hurts you Mommy and-"

Chloe brought her daughter back into her arms and squeezed her tight, crying right along with her. She felt that she had failed as a parent, telling her child to do one thing and doing the exact opposite. And what's worse, her personal life was mentally and emotionally affecting her daughter. That was parenting rule number one: You are the adult and she is the child. You have to be strong for them, not be on the same level.

"Shh baby, it's okay." Chloe tried to console her, but was honestly having a hard time convincing herself that everything was going to be all right.

Linda had returned from re-tucking-in Charlie and she and Ella were getting teary-eyed at the exchange. Dan, Maze, and Amenadiel watched with an uncomfortable solemnness from where they each sat in the room.

"Lucifer wouldn't want you to be sad." Trixie sniffed.

Chloe rubbed Trixie's back and pressed her cheek to the side of daughter's head. "I know monkey. You're right. Hey,"

She pulled away, looking her daughter in her red, tear-stained face. She held Trixie's face in her hands and, using her thumbs, brushed away the tears. "You know what Lucifer would say...if he were here right now?"

Trixie shook her head.

Chloe smirked and did her best impression of Lucifer's accent (which is always terrible).

"Urchin! What's with the weepy-water works?" She gestured at Trixie with a look of disgust. The little girl burst out laughing, tears disappearing as she started and continued to laugh at her mom's horrible impression.

"This is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, yes? So, why aren't you happy?"

Chloe held Trixie's hands in her own and Trixie nodded, getting the message both her mother and "Lucifer" were sending.

Maze spoke up from behind them, "Not bad Decker. Though I think he'd rather light himself on fire than touch a human offspring,"

The whole room cracked up in agreement. Trixie's eyes lit up with mischief and ran toward Maze with grabby-fingers. Maze fake-ran away from Trixie, yelling an array of "bloody hell's".

Linda scolded Maze for being noisy and said the next person to wake up the baby was going to go quiet him down.

Dan cleared his throat and tried, "But Doctor, you brought that little crotch-goblin into the world, why should anyone else take responsibility for his outbursts other than you or my brother?"

More laughter ensued and had everybody clutching their sides to ease the aching.

It took everyone about five minutes to calm down and then Trixie asked, "Can we watch the movie now?"

Everyone agreed to it, grabbing desserts and drinks to bring into the living room for the two and a half-hour classic.

_Oh won't you tell me, we'll never grow old. Christmas and New Years will find you home. They'll be no more sorrow, no grief and pain. Because I'll be happy that it's Christmas once again._

Everyone sat together in the living room, their hearts warmed by the story of George Bailey...unless you were the local demon who was nauseated by the sweetness but stayed because she liked her friends. The only time anybody spoke was to continue the Luciferness-joke. Mostly, it was Trixie or Maze who would use a horrible British accent to comment on some act of selflessness George Bailey performed, or how it's no wonder one of his siblings - probably Gabriel - sent this poor idiot angel down without much direction on how to help George. It's really no wonder the poor sod wanted to toss himself into the river!

For the first time in seven months, Chloe Decker felt...whole, warm even. Surrounded by her friends and family, she was done distracting herself with work or alcohol; she was missing out on the things in life that mattered, the things that mattered before Lucifer and will always matter, like her daughter and friends. She made a promise to herself that she would get some help and try to do better, if not for her little girl, then for the voice in her head, so strong she could almost feel his looming form behind her.

" _As much I love seeing you let loose, Detective, there's work to be done. Bad guys to punish. Don't let my mistakes change who you are, love._ "

Chloe held her daughter close and kissed her forehead, grateful for the wonderful life she did have, no matter the circumstances. She had incredible friends who would always be there for her, through anything, and she knew she would do the same for them.

It hit her then just how much she loved every single person in this room. These kind of feelings make everyone here much more than simply a friend to turn to; they were her family. Human, angel, and demon alike.

No matter what the universe threw at her next, come Hell or high water, Detective Chloe Jane Decker was a badass, capable of handling anything. But, she's learning that she doesn't have to go through her troubles alone. She was surrounded by six people tonight who were just as strong and capable as her. These people are what gave her the strength to continue on.

_Please come home for Christmas. Baby, please come home for Christmas They'll be no more sorrow, no more grief and pain, because I'll be happy, happy once again._

_To be continued in the final installment..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you it was going to be worse that chapter 4 :p. Also, I wrote this last year, so I had no idea what 2020 was going to entail. I hope you at least enjoyed that it was a COVID-free Christmas! :) The next chapter is the last one!


	6. I'll Be Home For Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story concludes with Lucifer in Hell, until some unexpected surprises give him the best gift of all: reasons to go back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date: Unknown
> 
> Location: Hell
> 
> Based on the song: I'll Be Home For Christmas: Michael Bublé

The ash fell on Lucifer's shoulders like gray, coarse snow. He's not sure which he'd prefer actually. Snow or ash? Snow melts when it comes into contact with warmth and would make for many wet Armani suits, whereas ash makes a somewhat cleanable mess. Snow, however, is only found in one realm that he knows of.

He misses that place more than ever. He used to miss it for the break it gave him from his normal existence and expectations from above. It was inevitable that Amenadiel would show up after a day or so and escort him back to The Gates. This time, he had left of his own accord. The people he longed for now were too important to risk flipping Dad the bird by hopping back-and-forth between realms.

He smirked and looked upward.

"I had this coming, didn't I?" He shook his head, "If I had just been a good devil and popped back down when You sent Amenadiel years ago, none of this would've happened, right?"

He looked back over his realm and mumbled, "Screwed from the beginning."

Lucifer chuckled to himself, mirthlessly, again as his thoughts spiraled downward into a place Dr. Linda would call "unhealthy" as he asked himself, "Which beginning?"

He wasn't sure how long he had been in Hell by human standards. Down here, it had felt like it had at least been multiple centuries. Everyday was the same; demons rising up against him, anarchy everywhere. Him tapping into his nastier abilities in order to keep the, dare he say, peace. Upon returning to his throne after winning every battle, he would recall sessions with the good doctor, often times speaking both parts to himself and trying his very best to figure out what she would say. Maybe he wasn't cured when he left. He left the souls to punish themselves, he didn't have the heart for it anymore. He tried once, with Malcolm Graham, thinking he'd start with someone small and work his way up the list of those who hurt The Detective to the likes of Pierce. When he had placed his hand on Malcolm's door, a strange, tensing sensation came over him, and he heard The Detective's inquiring voice in his head, "All those souls you tortured down there...did you like it?"

He would like torturing these particular souls, but it was not worth becoming the monster he so feared, one that his dearest Detective helped prevent him from becoming.

Today however, something different happened. It started off as most days down there do: him going up against a demon army alone, no Mazikeen or allies to stand at his side. He had just regained himself as he flew up to his throne when he felt a disturbance at the gates. One of the perks of ruling a realm for most of eternity, you get a certain feel for when something within the realm is out of order.

Lucifer flew down toward the entrance to Hell, the place were so many times, Amenadiel had dropped him, (metaphorically) kicking and screaming and refusing to return to work while his holier-than-thou big brother flew back off to the Silver City.

He needn't fly all the way to The Gates, however, as he nearly flew into the new comer.

"Bloody hell!" Lucifer gasped as he gracefully landed back on ashy ground, brushing soot and ash from his jacket. He looked up at his road block and his face fell, his jaw going slack with shock.

"Well I'll be damned." He breathed slowly.

Amenadiel stood and brushed the ash off of his gray and purple three piece suit. He coughed out any ash that had made its way into his lungs.

He stood to full height and smiled kindly at his highly confused little brother. "Hello Luci,"

Lucifer looked Amenadiel up and down, slowly regaining his dignity from having such an unexpected guest show up at his doorstep, "Brother... What? How?"

Amenadiel smiled wider and opened his arms. Lucifer's face paled and his heart sank. He knew this quick warning all too well from Miss Lopez. Amenadiel wrapped his arms around Lucifer, squeezing slightly, and patting his back. Lucifer remained as still as a stone statue throughout the uncomfortable exchange.

Amenadiel pulled back, but held on to Lucifer's shoulders. "It's so _good_ to see you, Brother."

"You as well," Lucifer said, surprising even himself. Then suspicion clouded his face. "Did you raid my closet?" He asked through gritted teeth, pointing at his brother's new outfit.

The angel chuckled and looked down at his outfit. "Oh this? No, I bought it myself." He answered proudly.

Lucifer cocked his head to the side, a pleasantly surprised smile pulling one side of his mouth upward, even though it's probably from The Rack, meaning that its likely made of very cheap material. He slid his hands into his pockets and asked, " _Really_?"

Amenadiel nodded, "Yes, I've been running Lux in your absence. Human jobs are wonderful, Luci! No wonder why you held two of them-"

Amenadiel's face fell as he watched his brother's face place and become expressionless. He probably should've been gentler bringing up Earth, especially something as close to him as Lux.

Lucifer nodded stiffly and returned, "Well, you look...good. So, why are you here? Figured actual Hell is better than the screaming Hellions upstairs? In your home _and_ in your work now!"

Lucifer turned and he and Amenadiel walked side-by-side through the stone corridors.

"No, actually. My son is wonderful," His smile returned with full force at the mention of Charlie. "I really wish you could see all he is accomplishing. No words can explain how incredibly thankful I am for what you did for Charlie, Lucifer." Amenadiel clapped his brother on the shoulder.

He thought he saw the faintest hint of sadness and glossiness in Lucifer's dark brown eyes, but like always, he brushed it way with stone walls, as strong and large as those around them, to hide any emotions. Lucifer shrugged Amenadiel's hand off him and returned, his tone gruff and cold, "We don't need to taint our visit with talk of times past. What's done is done, and...everyone is better off for it."

Lucifer tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Amenadiel's face fell with seriousness.

"That's, actually, why I'm down here. Some of us _aren't_ better off from your absence."

Lucifer's head snapped up. "Why? What's wrong?" He demanded with the tiniest quiver of fear in his voice.

Amenadiel sighed and rubbed his face.

"Out with it brother!" Lucifer growled. "What's happened on Earth that you've left it, _left your son_ , to come and see me?"

Amenadiel dejectedly looked to his brother and they stopped walking.

"Chloe hasn't been...well...since you left."

Lucifer shoulders tensed and he seemed to stand taller, on the defense.

"She's changed her hair. It looks great, don't get me wrong, but, you and I both know...Chloe doesn't make big changes like _that_. Plus, Maze has put herself in charge of cheering her up. They're out together every night that Trixie's out of the house, and sometimes when she's not. Chloe's cut herself off from the rest of us, Lucifer. She won't talk about anything other than work. Linda said those are common warning signs of depression, I think. Linda's been kind of diagnosing her without Chloe knowing it."

Lucifer felt like he couldn't breathe. The detective... _Chloe_...was suffering, alone in her own head. All because of him. Because he acted selflessly, for once, and did what he knew was the only way to save her, his nephew, and the rest of humanity for that matter.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Everything was supposed to be okay now that the devil was no longer on Earth and away from his first love!

He ran a hand through his hair, his facial expression unreadable, but his eyes storming with mixed emotions.

"Come back with me Lucifer. You've kept everything under control here for six months. Let your friends help you now. If the demons come back to Earth, we'll deal with it together. As a _family_."

"I can't do that." Lucifer grumbled.

"Why?" Amenadiel pressed.

Lucifer looked him in the eye, his eyes darkening, as he growled, "Because _this_ is how it was always meant to be. You know better than anyone that Father always intended for my arse to end up back down here! All of this," He motioned around him, "and that," he pointed up toward Earth, "was all punishment in one form or another! The devil doesn't get a happy ending, don't you see?"

Amenadiel frowned, looking especially crestfallen. He shook his head, "No. I refuse to believe that. Father has done many questionable things, but I don't think the last five years, at least, have been punishment for either of us."

Lucifer shook his head and smirked coldly. "Then you're still that naïve little soldier of Dad's that I always knew you were. Some things never change, I suppose."

Amenadiel wouldn't let that comment hurt him, so he shot the ill feelings back at his brother, trying to get his emotional walls to collapse.

"Then you don't love Chloe as much I thought you did. If you truly love her, you'd get yourself up to Los Angeles to fix her! She's broken without you Lucifer!"

That did it.

Lucifer's eyes raged with Hell fire as he lunged at his brother, grabbing fist-fulls of his purple vest. He pushed until Amenadiel's back hit the rocky outside of a Loop.

"DON'T!" Lucifer roared inhumanly, "Tell me how I feel! And certainly don't tell me what I would do for the woman I love!"

He was seething. Amenadiel could feel the heat of his brother's rage rippling off of him like an angry ocean.

Amenadiel waited patiently and silently until his brother calmed down and his eyes returned to their normal color.

Lucifer let his brother go, and turning to his side, he parted with, "The Detective is much stronger than most give her credit for. She's not broken...just...hurt. She will be fine and come to accept that...this is how it's meant to be. She is safer this way. Now, she can live her life the way she wants, away from my influence."

His shoulders dropped and he moved to turn away. Amenadiel stopped him. "Did you ever consider that, maybe, you are what she wants? And you leaving took her choice away?"

Lucifer's eyes flickered red again and he darkly returned, under his breath, "Careful brother. We know who wins this fight every single time."

Amenadiel nodded. "Maybe so. But nothing you say will convince me that I'm wrong."

Instead of arguing, Lucifer turned around with a glare and stalked back off in the direction of his towering throne, leaving Amenadiel to show himself out, mumbling something about his brother's angelic ego and how some things just never change.

This may be the last time Amenadiel sees his little brother for a very long time, so he thought, after everything, he should at least know something good with all the bad news Amenadiel dropped on him.

"We gave Charlie the middle name 'Luce' by the way,"

Lucifer stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around.

"Linda and I hadn't come up with it until after you left. I chose it after my brave brother, who became the thing he hated to save his nephew and so many others. Linda likes it because it means 'light', and he's our light. Our gift."

There was a pause for a moment and then a breathy and slightly evil-sounding chuckle coming from a still-turned-around Lucifer that a sent an ice-cold chill down Amenadiel's spine.

"Charlie Luce Martin. Have fun explaining to your child that you named him after the devil."

And with that, Lucifer unfurled his large, magnificent, white wings and shot off to his throne.

Amenadiel sighed, a tear streaking down his cheek at seeing how much pain Lucifer was in being away from Chloe, how bitter it was making him. They needed each other. They were the other's other-half. Hopefully, he would come to his senses before it was too late. He too, unfurled his wings and flew back to his Earthly family.

_I'll be home for Christmas. You can plan on me. Please have snow and mistletoe and presents by the tree. Christmas Eve will find me where the love light gleams. I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams._

Lucifer couldn't tell how long he sat on his throne, feeling nothing but a void as he stared across one.

Six months.

That's what Amenadiel had said. _You've kept everything under control here for six months_.

_Six months!_

It had felt like millennia to him. Who knows how much more Earth-time has passed what with his brain malfunctioning since Amenadiel flew off.

Granted, six months wasn't as horrible as he had been expecting in the grand scheme of things. In his long life, six months on Earth, to him, probably felt like a few hours or a day to a human life. Humans change so much in so little time. Especially the smaller, younger ones.

His nephew was still an infant - he assumed, not being an expert on human/angel offspring - and probably hadn't changed too much. That was good though. He was starting a happy life with choices and dreams on Earth, and not ruling Hell as Dromos's puppet.

The urchin probably hadn't changed much either. Although, she probably would have had a birthday celebration in the time he'd been gone, so she was officially another year older. Eleven years old, if his math was correct. Hadn't he just met the seven year old with missing teeth outside of the principal's office, after she had kicked a bully for making fun of her?

As if on cue, a familiar voice - as soft as the coo of a dove - spoke to him. It was somber, yet it began so softly he scarcely could hear it.

"Hi Lucifer."

He brushed it away, thinking himself either finally spiraling into insanity, or just failing to block out a prank-prayer to the devil. However the voice continued, with more feeling this time. He realized it to be the voice of a female human not having reached maturity yet.

"I don't know if you can hear this, but I thought I should try."

What the small voice said next had him at full attention for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"It's Trixie,"

He gasped and nearly flung himself out of his seat. He grabbed onto the arm rests to catch himself. Lucifer's eyes widened and his mouth gaped ever so slightly at the precious, precious sound. He sat there rigidly, slightly horrified because he never thought he wanted to hear this particular offspring's prayer (because that more likely meant that she was in trouble). The other part of him was relieved to hear the voice of someone he cared about. Oh, if only he could tell her that he could in fact hear her!

"Maze told me where you went. My mom and dad have been shutting down my questions every time I ask where you are. Dad's still really mad at you, and Mom..."

She stopped to sigh and Lucifer felt as if his heart cracked in two.

"I don't know what's going on with Mom," She said morosely.

Picking her tone back up after a slight pause, the spawn continued, "Don't be mad at Maze, cause she's been really helping us out a lot. She doesn't lie to me, ever, so she told me you went back to Hell, and then she told me why.

"I'm not mad at you, really I'm not." She stressed. "From the day we met...I guess I always believed you were telling the truth. I don't know why, I just...didn't think you'd have any reason to lie to us. I guess I really wasn't surprised either when Maze told me where you went. Oh, and," The girl added, "I might have _maybe_ seen your, uh, eyes...the day you saved me and Mom from the bad man who kidnapped me. Sorry if I wasn't supposed to. I won't tell Mom if you won't."

Lucifer felt his heart rate pick up at the child's words and the corners of his lips tug upward. His grip tightened unbeknownst to him until he heard the stone crack under his hands. He heard her take a deep breath, something he's known humans to do when they were trying not to cry as they spoke. Suddenly her voice cracked with emotion, "Thanks for keeping Mom safe."

A pained-like noise escaped his still ajar mouth and he sat back in his throne, removing one hand from the broken stone and running it through his hair, trying to distinguish this tirade of emotions all on his own. Sadness was there, and longing, and also anger, but also joy at hearing her voice and that she was okay. His once quiet breaths turned into labored, heavy ones as panic rose up inside of him. He tried to make himself relax, but he was obviously failing, given how much he twitched and squirmed. The detective's offspring had been quiet for so long that he thought she had hung up, so to speak. Lucifer gasped once again and felt this odd, relieving feeling flow through his body when she began speaking again.

"Anyway," The child continued, a bit more cheer in her tone now. She exaggeratedly cleared her throat and explained, "Today is Christmas Eve. I've been listening to that recording you sent me last year, by the way. Mom and I stuck with at-home-movie-night, which was really fun this year cause we invited Maze, but it still wasn't the same without you. So, I figured if you can't be with us for Christmas, I could try to bring Christmas to you!"

Lucifer let out a tired laugh. It was Christmas on Earth already. He remembers it clearly as one of his favorite days of the year to spend with the Decker women. Granted, the last couple of years had been difficult to maintain their traditions, and now it was his fault that they weren't fulfilled this year, but somehow and someway, he and The Detective always seemed to be on peaceful grounds on Christmas, no matter what had happened between them that year.

How this human child thought she could bring their Christmas traditions to Hell was beyond his understanding, unless she expected him to check the Loops for one of those cheesy movies. He didn't doubt he'd be able to find one somewhere being used as torture, but still.

That was until she started reciting, "'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."

Lucifer gasped, realization and this disgustingly warm-and-fuzzy feeling slamming into him like a bus.

"Our Christmas story," He breathed, "Good choice, urchin." It amazed him how much he disliked reading this to her several times throughout the years. The only part he seemed to like about the activity was the smile that girl would get on her face as the poem told the story of the visit of Santa Claus. He never thought he'd be so happy to hear the over-said words again so much in his life.

"The stockings all hung by the chimney with care in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there. The children all nestled all safe in their beds while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads. With ma' in her kerchief and I in my cap had just settled down for a long winter's nap."

The familiar burn of those dreaded tears stung at his eyes. He blinked them away, thinking that some bloody ash got in his eyes because he went too long without blinking.

"When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shudders and threw up the sash!"

While he was dismissing the water falling from his eyes, he felt his heart swell at hearing this particular urchin reading to him as a way to tell him that she misses him. He couldn't help but notice how good she had gotten at reading. This was something he knew the detective and Detective Douche were trying to work with her on by reading stories every night. Granted, there was a familiar flow and emphasis to her words that made him think that she was just repeating the way he read to her. That, however, was quite the compliment if he ever heard one.

"The moon on the breast," She giggled at the word "breast" as he did nearly every time he read her that story. He laughed as she continued reading, "of the new-fallen snow gave the luster of midday to objects below. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer."

There was so much else that he could probably derive from her reading and prayer: wants, wishes, or just someone to talk to. He could go on and on overthinking this little moment, and he probably would too. He had all the time in the universe. He just wished that there was some way for him to tell her that he heard her.

"With a little ol' driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick. More rapid than eagles, his courses they came, as he whistled and shouted and called them by name:"

Lucifer mumbled off the names along with her as Trixie called out with gusto, "Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer, now Vixen, on Comet, on Cupid, on Donner, and Blitzen! To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall, now dash-away, dash-away, dash-away all!"

Lucifer was smiling so wide at the fond memory and half-way time with his favorite urchin that his cheeks hurt. Before long, the tears he had been rejecting flooded down his face. He recalled something Linda had told him in a session once, "Not the anger...the pain. That's what you've been suppressing _._ "

In that moment, as Trixie Espinoza read to him in his head, while he remained high above any demonic on-lookers, Lucifer Morningstar buried his face in his hands and let himself feel the pain that he had been suppressing for seven human months, and he let himself grieve.

Lucifer didn't care anymore if he seemed weak or not, to himself or anybody else. He didn't care if the tears were making a mess on his face and clothes, or if the sobs he was crying were horrendous, or if he looked absolutely pathetic.

Lucifer just wanted to go home.

_I'll be home for Christmas, you can plan on me. Please have snow and mistletoe, and presents by the tree. Christmas Eve will find me where the love light gleams. I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams._

After the child had finished the poem, Lucifer made himself catch his breath and hang on to her sweet departure.

"If you heard this Lucifer, Merry Christmas. I hope everything's going okay down there. You don't need to worry about us, we'll be okay. If you do miss us though, and you do wanna come home, we'll all be waiting. Okay. That's it. Good night! Merry Christmas again."

And just like that, silence, once again.

Lucifer unfurled his wings, his thoughts buzzing around in his head. He stood and flew from his throne to the corridors of Loops. Tucking his wings back in, he just walked. He spent Christmas on Earth walking, debating with himself, and checking on the many demon clans.

The voices of reason presented to him by his brother and the Decker-Espinoza spawn played over and over in his mind, making him more anxious than ever to do the one thing he wanted to do since he arrived back in Hell.

He made his way to a section of The Gates he closed off centuries ago when he banned possession. There used to be four entrances to Hell, but when he found it imperative to keep an eye on the comings and goings of demons, he made it so that there was only one way out and one way in for any supernatural being, and it was the one he could see best from his throne.

The other gates still existed, but they were nearly impossible to escape from without raising a raucous.

Nearly impossible, mind you.

It took some lock-mojo, as the lovely Detective would call it, but after a while of trying and hiding from passing creatures and demons, Lucifer spread his wings, bid Hell adieu in his head, and flew off toward Earth.

No more would he be a pawn in Father's plan. No more would he deny himself happiness. The devil was about to get his happy ending and save the detective - and himself - from further pain. 

He thought he had flown for ages, passing multiple galaxies and realms on his way up, higher and higher. He was unfamiliar with this portal, seeing as he's only used this passage one other time for his many trips to Earth. He could've sworn he'd taken a wrong turn somewhere.

Eventually, the portal spit him out in a desert-looking area. He landed gracefully on the dry dirt, tucking his wings back in before any mortal could get their brains fried.

He took a few steps forward and glanced around. The bright sun above made him squint at his surroundings. The dry heat of Earth was a welcomed difference from what he just came from. It had to be sometime in the early afternoon, judging by the heat and position of the sun. There were cacti and small trees outside of buildings in the very small and seemingly old town. Latin music drafted through the open windows of buildings and cars drove into empty parking lots. This could be Southern California, or somewhere near, but it was definitely not Los Angeles.

Lucifer stepped inside the nearest building, a small, rundown shack made of stucco walls and a stone roof crafted in the popular Latin style. Inside, it was dark, but the wonderful aroma of alcohol greeted him as soon as he stepped passed the torso-high swinging wooden doors.

The corners of his lips curled upward and his eyes widened with an excited light as he breathed in this wonderfully sweet yet odious air.

There was a stout older human man at the bar. He seemed to be in his late fifties, maybe early sixties. He seemed to be here alone before hours, taking stock and cleaning the counters. The man was darker skinned and had thick, graying dark brown mustache.

"¡Hola Señor! Que puedo hocer por ti?" (Hello Sir! What can I do for you?) The man asked with a bright smile, wiping his hands off with a bar towel.

Lucifer stepped toward him and asked charmingly, "Hola," (Hello) He drawled, his voice just as melodic and inviting as it is when he's speaking English. "¿Me puedes decir donde estoy?" (Can you tell me where I am?)

The man chuckled and replied, "Estás a las afueras de Peña de Bernal...Queretaro." (You're just outside Peña de Bernal...Queretaro.)

Lucifer's mouth gaped slightly, as he accidently slipped into the tongue he had been using the most in the last few centuries, and his heart seemed to stop momentarily.

"Mexico?" He gasped, leaning against the bar to stop the panic attack slowly rising within him. He wasn't even in the same _country_ as the detective!

Lucifer leaned over the bar and hurriedly asked, "Cuánto dura el viaje a Los Angeles?" (How long is the trip to Los Angeles?)

The bartender shrugged, his pleasant demeanor never faulting as Lucifer became more panicked. "Si tiene un automóvil, tal vez un poco más de un dia con tráfico. Sin embargo, el vuelo no es largo para L.A.. Bueno suerte para encontrar un vuelo, amigo. Los vuelos durante toda la semana fuera de la Ciudad de México se reservaron durante meses." (If you have a car, maybe a little over a day with traffic. The flight isn't long to L.A. Good luck trying to find a flight though, friend. Flights all week out of Mexico City have been booked for months.)

Lucifer ran a hand over his face. He was all the way down near Mexico City. Flying himself was an option, but he's assuming he's gone and well pissed off Dad for leaving his post, so flying through time and space, where he could easily be attacked by something or someone celestial before he got to the detective, wasn't Plan A at the moment.

"Gracias." (Thank you) Lucifer smiled and nodded at the bartender who smiled back kindly at him with a "De nada." (It's nothing)

"Oh one more thing!" Lucifer stopped himself and mentally berated himself for slipping into English so foolishly _again._

"¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy?" (What is today's date?)

The bartender laughed as he asked, "¿Estás pidiendo hoy o mañana? Gran diferencia." (Are you asking for today or tomorrow? Big difference.)

Lucifer's face contorted with confusion. What was the difference in _one day_?

"¡Es Nochevieja!" (It's New Year's Eve!)

Lucifer gulped down a lump that formed in his throat. It was about to January 2021 AD already. He thanked the bartender again and walked out of the bar as quickly as possible.

He needed to get back home and fast. The city would probably be crowding quickly in the next few hours to ring in the new year. Certainly he could find someone kind enough to help a poor devil get back to the love of his life in Los Angeles?

A Christmas miracle wasn't going to bring Lucifer home to Chloe, but he was going to try to ring in with the New Year.

11 hours and 58 minutes later.

"Come on Mommy! The ball's about to drop!" Trixie called from the living room.

Chloe was upstairs, finishing brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed, because that's exactly where she'll be heading as soon as midnight arrives and the New Year's celebrations were over.

"Coming monkey." She called back, wiping her face off with a towel.

Chloe heard someone frantically knock at the door. It was the middle of the night! Who the hell was outside at this hour?

"Trix, was that you?" Chloe called apprehensively as she made her way out of the upstairs bathroom.

"No. I think there's someone at the door." Trixie replied, about ready to leave her seat to go answer it.

"Stay there monkey, I got it." Chloe grabbed her gun from her bedroom (for protection) and walked slowly down the stairs toward the door.

Before she even made it halfway down, the door burst open and the one person she did not expect walked through her door. She dropped her weapon and froze.

"Detective!" Lucifer called and looked around the apartment. He looked oddly unkempt, out of breath, and frantic.

"Lucifer!" Trixie squealed from the living room.

He opened his mouth to reply, but that's when he looked to the stairs and saw a petrified Chloe, who hadn't realized that her eyes were bulging wide and glossy with tears.

"Lucifer," She mumbled as she ran down the stairs to his open arms.

It was completely on accident that her mouth collided with his in a desperate attempt to lose themselves in each other and say, without words, how much they missed one another at the same time people on the news exploded with cheer as 2021 was born.

It crossed his mind to warn her about the impending doom that may be the result of him leaving Hell and flying to L.A. so abruptly. After driving for twelve hours with a kind young Mexican lad, he got impatient and needed to see her. He just missed her so damn much. He threw all caution to the wind and left the young man's car once they reached the border to the United States and flew the rest of the way.

His story could wait.

"You're home." Chloe cried, touching her forehead to his.

He smiled, "I'm home."

_I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams._

_The End._   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me through this story! I hope the ending tied it all up nicely and got rid of all of the angst. Thank you again and happy holidays!

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clear up some confusion if necessary: This chapter takes place during season one, so at this point Chloe does not know the truth. The next chapter will take place during season 2, which in this case, takes place exactly one year later. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy!


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